


Voices From a Distant Star

by Anath_Tsurugi



Series: The Winter Soldier [4]
Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Apparently Gamora likes hamburgers, Drax being a daddy, Kidnapping, Masturbation, Mentions of genocide, Mentions of rape of a child, Mind Rape, Multi, Panic Attack, Repressed memory, Reproductive Coercion, Rocket is a mite twitchy and does not approve of cuddles, Sex Pollen, but it's really noncon, dubcon, psychic communications
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-27
Updated: 2014-09-26
Packaged: 2018-02-15 00:14:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 30,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2208390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anath_Tsurugi/pseuds/Anath_Tsurugi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nova Corp was naive to think that Thanos would actually allow them to possess an Infinity Stone. The warlord has his plans for the stones, yes, but he has other plans for the Guardians as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Assault

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I'd been wanting to work the Guardians into my Avengers continuity, but until the movie came out, I wasn't sure it would work. Now I know it does work and we'll be exploring what's been going on in the larger universe during my Winter Soldier stories. So yes, this is a side story for my Winter Soldier trilogy. You don't need to have read any of the others to understand what's happening here, but your enjoyment of certain references will be most enhanced if you do. If you're just here for the Guardians, though, by all means enjoy them. I certainly do.

The night guard at the Nova Corp high security storage facility found himself whistling as he made his rounds of the vaults. As many night worker bees who are about to go off shift tend to, our friend the security guard was dreaming of the nice soft bed that awaited him when he clocked out. Sadly, this bright-eyed young fellow didn't seem to realize just what type of unseemly scum might come after the treasures he was guarding. Such things did occur to him in his final moments, however, when a hand clamped down on his mouth to muffle his scream as a knife was shoved through a joint in his body armor, straight through the back of his neck.

The assassin lowered the dead guard's body to the floor, making absolutely certain his armor made no sound while turning him onto his back. Then the black-cloaked figure slipped out a smaller knife and pulled off the guard's helmet, making quick work of his right eyeball. That done, the lone figure moved swiftly and silently down the corridor the guard had come from.

Upon reaching the second of a line of three locked doors, the assassin held the eyeball up to the door's retinal scanner. With a series of soft beeps, the door slid open, admitting the thief into the vault. Rows and rows of small white safes lined the interior of the vault, but the thief experienced no confusion. This lawbreaker knew exactly where the coveted prize was: third row, four down, and five safes from the bottom.

On reaching the safe, the thief lifted yet another stolen item from a utility pouch: the severed hand of another security guard. Using the stiffening fingers of the now bloodless hand to enter a code into the touch pad beside the safe, the assassin was easily able to slide the reinforced door aside and reach for the relic inside. Little more than half a year ago, this small orb had brought the galaxy to the brink of chaos. Well, no sense in only doing something halfway.

"Yeah, don't think you want to be doing that, buddy," a male voice suddenly sounded in the thief's ear as a gun was pressed against the hood of the cloak. "I dunno who hired you for this job, but that little toy there is more dangerous than you probably realize. Whatever your boss is paying you, I promise it isn't worth it. Just put the orb back and walk away."

The thief only laughed at this. "Who do you think you're talking to?" a feminine voice sounded from the confines of the hood. It wasn't quite the voice of a woman, though…much too young.

"Who do _you_ think _you're_ talking to, sweetheart?" the man fired back, tone changing slightly. He always got a different attitude around women. Couldn't quite help it.

Again, she laughed. "I know who you _believe_ yourself to be…Peter Quill: one time legendary outlaw, Nova Corp freelancer and _lapdog_ , guardian of the galaxy. Star-Lord," she said derisively.

"There now, see?" he called to the vault at large, not quite backing away from her, but still waving his free arm through the air. "People _do_ know the name."

"I would not recommend flirting with her, all the same, Peter," Gamora advised as she and Drax entered the vault. "She's murdered five guards already."

"Who _are_ you working for, by the way, pretty lady?" Peter asked the thief, and whoever she was, she had a real penchant for laughing at him.

"You don't know I'm pretty. You haven't seen my face," she pointed out.

"That doesn't matter. All women are pretty in their way."

" _Peter!_ " Gamora snapped at him.

"What? I'm just paying a compliment."

"For you, that's flirting. Back off."

"I'd listen to your friend if I were you, Quill. You're on extremely dangerous ground where I'm concerned. I have no love for swine with no care what hole their prick ends up in," the thief growled at him, tension bristling along her slender shoulders.

"Hey, that's not fair. I'm not like that," Quill tried to argue.

"Why is it we are discussing Star-Lord's sexual preferences?" Drax asked.

"Unfortunately, with Peter, everything seems to come back to sex," Gamora jibed.

"We really gonna do this now?"

"It's not as if we will do it when we're _not_ in the middle of a fight."

"On the subject of doing it-"

"If it's all the same to you lot, I think I'll be going now," the assassin started as she began to walk away from Peter. Indignant, the former outlaw quickly re-aimed his gun.

"Hey, no! Come back here with that orb. I wasn't kidding when I said it was dangerous."

"I am aware of the Akasha's properties, Peter Quill. Likely even more aware than _you_ are," she said, still facing away from him.

"Akasha?"

"You don't even know what it's called? Really? You risk your life for this and you don't know its proper name. Forgive me if I am somewhat less than intimidated by you."

"Whom do you work for?" Gamora demanded as she and Drax drew closer. "You may as well tell us. You might be able to slip past Quill, but you're not getting by either of us."

"You _know_ who I work for, Gamora. You betrayed him not too long ago. Who else is worthy to possess the Akasha and its sisters?"

"Thanos," Gamora said softly. She should have known he would make a play for the orb at some point. She just hadn't thought it would be so soon.

"Just so," the assassin said as she slipped the orb into a pouch on her belt. Then she reached up to lower her hood. Her long black hair was pulled back into a tight braid and catlike ears extended out from her head, twitching with every movement. Her skin was black and even her eyes were catlike, amber with pupils so narrow they were little more than thin black lines. When she twisted her lips to sneer, Gamora could just make out a pair of sharp-looking fangs in her mouth. "I'm afraid you've been replaced with a superior model. Thanos has no use for creatures who are less than loyal."

"If you work for Thanos, cat creature, then we have no reason to spare your life!" Drax snarled at her. "All servants of Thanos must be destroyed!"

"Can we maybe get a name before Drax here rips your spine out?" Peter asked her. Slowly, she turned to face him.

"You want to know my name?"

"That would be the reason I-"

Before Peter could even get the words out, the thief had sprung across the distance between them, wicked-looking claws springing from her nail beds. Faster than a blink, all ten claws were buried in his gut.

" _PETER!_ " Gamora screamed, but he wasn't quite sure he'd heard it. He was a little too focused on the stabbing pain in his mid section. When he looked down to see the claws buried in his body, he could see blood beginning to trickle from the wounds.

"The hell…didja do that for?" he mumbled faintly, trying to grab her wrists and failing.

"I have no name that will make any difference in your final moments, Peter Quill," she whispered to him as he fell to his knees. "But you may call me Black Arrow."

With that, Black Arrow retracted her claws, then shot them into his body one more time before shoving him to the floor and leaping onto one of the safe rows, running along the top and straight past Drax. Gamora was already running toward Peter.

"You fool," she scolded as she began to tear open his jacket and shirt, baring the ugly puncture wounds to the cold vault air. "I warned you not to flirt with her."

"Can't…always help it," he said, groaning in pain. Blood was trickling freely down his stomach. "Gotta say, though…kinda sad it takes something like this for you to finally rip my clothes off."

Gamora glared down at Peter, but there was still worry in her eyes. "I should just let you die for that," she snapped before turning her attention back to her comm device. "Dey, are you getting any of this?"

"No, the security feed's still out," the corpsman's voice came to her through her earpiece. "What's going on down there?"

"The target escaped with the orb. Drax is in pursuit. Quill's down, Dey. We need medical in here _now!_ " she snapped at him, quickly slipping off her jacket and pressing it against the puncture wounds to try and stop the bleeding.

"Ow! Easy…nngh," Peter groaned, laying his hands on top of Gamora's. "That hurts."

"So you'd rather I let you bleed out?" she asked, pressing down harder.

"No, it's just…I'm not…sure if they can do anything," he said, his grip on her hands tightening, and when she looked into his eyes, she realized there was fear in them. "My intestines are pretty much a sack of fleshy ribbons."

"I know you aren't going to tell me you did not have that one coming. Having your guts spilled by an angry woman," she chastised him.

"Gam…really…" he said softly, reaching a hand up to touch her cheek. She turned her face away from him, though, not wanting him to see the fear growing in her eyes.

"I've told you how I feel about that name. We will have words later. Just don't move," she urged him.

"I'm sorry."

Gamora's attention was drawn back down at this. Had she really just heard Peter Quill…apologize?

"What?"

"I'm sorry…about the nickname. Can't help it. It's cute," he said, smiling faintly. Already, there was a trace of blood at his lips.

"I am _not cute!_ " she snapped angrily, pressing down on Peter's chest as hard as she possibly could.

"No…sorry. You're right. You are…beautiful, though," he murmured, eyes slipping shut.

"Don't you dare die on me, Quill!" she snarled at him. "If you die now, I will not be able to punish you for that."

"Looking…looking…forward to it…" he whispered, voice trailing off.

" _Come on!_ " Gamora shouted into the comm unit. "If someone does not get down here this instant, I am going to tear this place apart, block by block! You know I can do it!"

"Gam…I think…think I love you."

"Quill? _Quill!_ "

XxX

Drax, meanwhile, had pursued Black Arrow down several corridors. True to her feline form, she was quick and light on her feet, but he was durable. He could run for days without tiring.

"You cannot run forever, slave of Thanos!"

At this, the assassin leapt into the air, spinning to face him as she landed in a battle-ready crouch.

"You'd be surprised, Destroyer."

"I am never surprised, cat thing. I am very observant," he insisted.

"We'll see about that," she hissed before flinging a dagger at him.

The weapon struck his shoulder, but the pain was little more than a mosquito bite to him. With a roar, he tore the knife from his skin and barreled toward her. Black Arrow easily ducked aside, evading each of his powerful blows. They went on like this for some time, until Drax managed to bash her arm against a wall, the bone snapping audibly as he wrapped his other hand around her throat. Strangely enough, Black Arrow's only sign of pain was a small wince. She didn't even reach up her good arm to attempt to free herself from the Destroyer's grasp.

"I shall make you pay for what you did to my friend," he snarled at her, his grip on her throat tightening. She didn't struggle for breath, though. She only sneered at him as she unhooked a small device from her belt and tossed it to the center of the corridor. When it made contact with the floor, several tendrils of green energy sparked out of the device, scouring the corridor. Then the power went dead.

"What is this?" Drax tried to ask, but the only answer he received was a gouge across the face from her claws, nearly destroying his eyes. All it took was a moment of slackened grip for her to be able to slip away from him. He blundered blindly after her for several minutes, bellowing in rage, but even if there had been light, he wouldn't have been able to see through his ruined eyes anyway. Black Arrow had left him far behind in only moments.

The young woman's catlike eyes afforded her perfect vision in the darkened corridors. It didn't take her long to reach the exit that led out to the ship docks. Just as she was about to reach the doors, though, yet another voice stopped her.

"Don't think ya wanna be walkin' out those doors, kitten. See, you mighta just killed a dear pal a' ours, and that don't sit too well with me'n the big guy here."

"I am _Groot._ "

"Well, isn't that just wonderful for you," she said, sighing as she turned to face the last two members of the Guardians – a tree and a raccoon, both far more human than they had any right to be.

Rocket was perched on Groot's shoulder, casually aiming a bazooka nearly as big as he was at her. Bioluminescent spores were beginning to drift up from Groot's body, lighting up the darkened exit hallway.

"I _am_ gonna kill you, just so yous know. Even if Quill pulls through, ain't gonna be no livin' wit' him, bitchin' and moanin' 'bout how hurt he is. 'Fore I do, though…that was a sweet trick you pulled wit' the power spike. Mind tellin' me how you did it?" he asked, priming the bazooka to fire. "Be a real shame for a trick like that to be lost to posterity."

"It's none of your affair, rodent," she snapped at him, though the insult was more for Groot than for Rocket. She knew it was dangerous to upset the Flora Colossus, but it was a risk she was willing to take just now.

Indeed, the tree creature did not disappoint. He let out a warning sort of growling sound.

" _I am Groot!_ "

"Ah, hell no, big guy. This one's _mine!_ " Rocket snarled, firing off several rounds with the huge gun. Black Arrow sidestepped each shot, leading the raccoon's fire in a very precise pattern…right up until she stepped clear of the security door, Rocket's latest shot blowing it clean away.

"Thank you for your cooperation, little rat," she said with a sneer, nodding her head before moving to duck out of the now gaping hole in the wall.

"Why…you…GAAARGH!" Rocket's voice devolved into a wounded bellow of anger as he launched himself at the fleeing thief, flinging the bazooka aside. The moment he latched onto her, he was everywhere, biting and clawing. When he managed to get in a particularly nasty bite on her ear, she seized him in her good hand and flung him as hard as she could against the far wall.

Rocket's tiny body hit the wall with an unnerving _crack_ …and when he fell to the floor and did not get up, Groot looked stricken.

"I am…Groot?"

Nothing. If Groot didn't possess such a strong connection to the little raccoon, he wouldn't have even been certain he was still breathing.

"Serves the little vermin right," Black Arrow taunted. It was not out of ignorance for what the Flora Colossus could do to her. The jibe was very deliberate.

But Groot had no way of knowing that.

" _I AM GROOT!_ " the enraged creature bellowed. He came at Black Arrow like a battering ram, but she was already gone, running out of the building and down the ramp into the docking bay, where a small ship was already powered up for a quick getaway.

Groot was on Black Arrow before she could make the ship, though. He seized her much smaller body in his massive hands, taking hold of her broken arm and beginning to twist.

Unfortunately, Black Arrow wasn't the only danger. Barely conscious, Rocket had crawled to the top of the ramp just in time to see the ship unleash a jet of flame straight at his partner.

" _GROOT!_ " the raccoon screamed, but the sound didn't carry over Groot's own maddened bellowing. Roaring in both pain and anger, the Flora Colossus continued to twist at Black Arrow's arm until it tore completely free of her body, a spray of crimson blood arcing through the air as Groot's bark continued to roast in the wave of fire.

Ignoring the fact that he was on fire, Groot threw the assassin to the ground, seemingly meaning to crush her beneath his massive feet. She was screaming in agony by this point, bleeding out and singed from the fire, but even this magnitude of suffering was not enough for the Flora Colossus. He meant to _destroy_ Black Arrow…to grind her down until not even an atom of her remained. Sadly, that wasn't to be so.

The moment the ship ceased firing its flamethrower, two harpoon guns were fired, each projectile sinking into Groot's chest with a resounding _thunk._ Already badly injured from the fire, the Flora Colossus could do nothing but swipe feebly at the steel cables that attached the two harpoons to the ship. Almost immediately, they began to pull him in.

"No…Groot…no…" Rocket groaned in pain and desperation, trying to drag himself forward with only one arm and gaining barely half an inch. The last he saw of Groot before he was pulled completely onto the ship was the look of anger and anguish on his half-burnt face.

A man appeared on the ship's exit ramp then, quickly coming out to gather up Black Arrow.

"Let 'im…go…you _bastards!_ " Rocket growled, his demand made somewhat less threatening by how badly injured he was.

The man glanced at him briefly, shaking his head and laughing. His skin was just as black as his comrade's, save for a strange pair of white slash marks on his face.

"And here I thought I'd seen everything. Now these outer space dip shits have talking pets," he taunted, still laughing as he carried Black Arrow onto the ship.

"No…dammit…Groot… _no!_ " he snarled, continuing to drag himself forward, despite the futility of his situation. He didn't have much left in him.

He began to hear voices from somewhere far away, but he couldn't focus on them. All he could think about was Groot. What were those sons of bitches going to do to him?

"I'll kill ya. I'll kill ya. I'll kill ya. I'll kill ya," he snarled over and over again as the world went dark around him. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness completely was the bold red lettering on the fleeing ship's hull that proclaimed her the _Rose Red_.

XxX

Gamora paced anxiously outside the operating theatre, where a team of medics was working to repair the damage that had been done to Peter's body. Whatever the other half of his parentage was, Gamora silently thanked whatever gods there were for it. That heritage was probably the only reason he was still alive.

While one team was working to save Peter, another was seeing to Drax and Rocket. Drax's eyes had been almost completely obliterated by Black Arrow's attack, but he would definitely make a full recovery with his accelerated healing. Rocket was worse off, with a broken shoulder and a bad concussion. Three of them down and Groot captured...taken prisoner by a merciless warlord. She really didn't want to see how Rocket would react when he finally regained consciousness.

As the last of the guardians standing, she wasn't sure what to do. At the current moment, all she could concern herself with was her worry for Peter. If he really left her on _that_ note...

_Damn it, Peter, if you do not wake up right this minute and tell me it was all some hideous joke, I swear I will murder you!_

They'd tried to convince her to remain in the waiting room, but she was not going to leave this spot until she knew, one way or the other.

The real trouble in all this was that she _did_ feel something for Peter...only she didn't know if she should let herself. She hadn't known from real feeling in such a long time and everything with the guardians was so new and unexplainable...and Peter...was anything with him real...or was it all just the _hip sorcery_?

_Damn you, Peter Quill. If you die...if you die, I..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So whatcha think? Any interest in finding out what happens next?


	2. Poison

_I think I love you...I think I love you...I think I love you..._

"Think I love you," Peter mumbled as he slowly blinked his eyes open. The first thing he saw was the white ceiling above his head.

"Say something, Quill?"

Startled by the voice, but still not fully awake, Peter sluggishly rolled his head to the side to see Gamora sitting in a chair beside his bed.

"Don't...think so," he continued to mumble. "What happened?"

"What? Don't remember gettin' gutted by the flarkin' hell cat?" Rocket asked as he entered the room, head bandaged and arm in a sling. Rhomann Dey followed shortly after him, leading Drax, whose eyes were bandaged.

"Whoa," Peter muttered as he slowly sat up. "What _did_ happen?"

"Someone tried to break into the high security vault," Dey started to explain.

"Black Arrow," the former outlaw supplied, remembering amber eyes and a flash of intense pain. "Yeah...she really tore me a new one."

"You got no idea," Rocket growled. When Peter vaguely noted that the raccoon was much tenser than even he normally was, it finally occurred to him what the reason might be.

"Hey...where's the tree? Where's Groot?"

At this, Rocket growled low in his throat, turning away from him and punching the wall with his one good paw. "Gone."

"What? What do you mean-"

"They took him," Gamora explained. "Black Arrow and her associates. By now they'll have taken him to Thanos."

"But...why? What would he want with him?"

"I could not tell you," the Zehoberi said, her voice thick with self-loathing.

"But yous _do_ know where we gotta go to get 'im back, yes?" Rocket pressed, glaring up at them.

"Yes, but we're hardly in any condition to take him on right now," she pointed out, standing from her chair.

"I am most dreadfully sorry, my friends," Drax apologized. "It was because of my weakness that the cat female escaped. I should not have let her go."

"It's not your fault, man. She got the drop on all of us. What about this Black Arrow character?" Peter asked, turning his attention to Rhomann. "Can you tell us anything about her?"

"Well...Black Arrow's an interesting case. She's only been running with Thanos for about three months now," Dey started, tossing a holographic projector at Gamora. The unit immediately displayed a schematic of their assailant. "She's only fourteen years old."

"Oh, so now we have added cradle-robbing to our repertoire, have we?" Gamora jibed at Peter.

"None of that," Peter tried to argue. "Rekjanian age of consent is twelve. They only live thirty years. We don't know what species she is."

"Ah...about that...Black Arrow is Terran," Dey said, gaze shifting away as those who could turned shocked eyes to him.

"Okay, yeah, it's cradle-robbing," Peter conceded.

"Why would Star-Lord wish to kidnap infants from their cradles?" Drax asked in a mildly panicked voice.

"Hold up a minute," Peter interrupted before Gamora could explain. "There's no way this kid is human. Humans don't look like that. They just don't. Wanna explain that one to me."

"Black Arrow is most assuredly Terran. She's just been enhanced in a way we haven't identified yet. It seems Thanos may have actually...commissioned her creation."

"Commissioned?" Peter repeated, mildly shocked.

"It's really not all that surprising," Gamora said. She didn't need to say anything more to remind them just how she'd come to be what she was.

"Wait, wait, wait," Rocket interrupted. "You mean to tell me we got taken down by an _infant?_ "

"Black Arrow and her compatriots are no ordinary band of infants," Dey cut back in. "They were trained for combat, stealth, and espionage from a very early age by a now defunct organization known as the Red Room. Thanos had essentially commissioned them to generate enhanced agents for him. Black Arrow was brought into the fold later than most, but it seems her circumstances were...special."

"In what way?" Gamora pressed.

"The Terrans...don't live under a unified planetary government as most of the galaxy does. They're often at odds with each other. Black Arrow was born on the continent of 'Africa' and there's a very violent conflict going on there now. If the Red Room's records are accurate, her birth name is Nadi Johari, but it seems she took the name Arrow after...what happened to her."

"And what _did_ happen to her?" Gamora continued to press.

"When...when she was only seven years old...she was kidnapped by a gang of soldiers. They...those men...for two years...they used her as a sex slave," he said, not looking at them as he spoke the last words. "I'm sorry...I just...the whole thing's hideous. My own little girl's just that age now. To think of something like _this_ happening to her...I can't-"

"It's all right," Gamora reassured him, even though it wasn't. Really, it hit a little too close to home for her. "Go on."

"Well...who's to say what finally caused it to happen, but...when she was nine...she killed them...all of them. She'd been living alone in the jungle about a year when the Red Room got hold of her. It didn't take much to harden her into the sort of candidate they needed."

"No...it wouldn't," Gamora said quietly. She could certainly see where Thanos would prefer such a process – a system where he didn't have to break in his tools himself.

The former assassin was drawn out of her reverie when she realized that Peter had reached out for her hand. She allowed herself to feel the warmth and the strength of the grip for only a moment before looking up from their now clasped hands to see the concern in his eyes. Quickly, she yanked her hand away.

"Save your pity, Quill. I have no use for it," she snarled quietly, looking away from him, tuning back in to Rhomann's explanation.

"The Red Room was dismantled three months ago by an organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Nine subjects had been undergoing various stages of conditioning, but for reasons we haven't been able to determine, Thanos was only able to secure three of them. At the moment, this team of enhanced Terrans seems to be his leading strong arm. They've already killed dozens of people."

"Yeah, yeah, boo-hoo, all well and tragic, but while we're sittin' here yammerin', they could be doin' the same thing to Groot, if anybody cares," Rocket snapped.

"Can he even _be_ killed?" Peter asked.

"Yes," the raccoon growled, glaring pointedly up at him. "Yes, he can. And if you flarkin' raktors won't get up off your ass ends and help me, I might just have to jack the _Milano_ and go rescue 'im my own self."

"Rocket, don't say things like that. Of _course_ we care that Groot's been captured, but as I said before, we are not in the best of conditions right now. If we fly off to face Thanos like this, we will only be playing into his hands," Gamora warned him. "Drax's eyes will need another week to heal."

"Well, I dunno about the rest of you guys, but I feel just fine, so-" Peter started, but was cut off by a sharp stab of pain the moment he tried to stand. Immediately, Gamora was beside him, helping him to lie back down.

"The hell was that?" he asked meekly.

"You mustn't move too much yet or you'll tear the laser stitching. You'll need at least another twenty-four hours," Gamora explained.

"No! That's no good!" Rocket argued.

"And what are you going to do with a broken shoulder? You need that same twenty-four hours for the cell injections to take effect. I'm sure Groot will be very happy to see you get yourself killed for him."

" _I can't just sit here and let 'im die!_ " Rocket shouted.

"Rocket, please. Just _listen to me._ If you care about Groot at all, you can't just rush into this. Think. He needs you. You _have_ to be able to give your best," Gamora tried to reason with him...and it was this appeal that finally caused Rocket's shoulders to slump in defeat.

"Forty-eight hours," he glared up at them all. "Not a second longer. If by then your sorry hides ain't onboard the _Milano_ , I'm gone. I am _not_ gonna let 'im die."

XxX

When Groot finally regained consciousness, he found himself in a darkened cell. When he attempted to move, he found that he was chained to the wall by some sort of energy cuff. He pulled at the cuffs with all his considerable strength, but they wouldn't budge.

"You may as well cease with your struggling. This cell was built to withstand even _your_ strength, Flora Colossus," a thin, hissing sort of voice suddenly came from the darkness. "You may believe me when I say we are well-equipped to deal with your kind."

"I am Groot," he said bitterly. Disliking being at a disadvantage to whomever it was he was speaking to, he set several luminescent spores adrift in the air. More than bringing light to the darkness, being able to light the spores so easily told him he'd fully recovered from his burn wounds. He was at full strength, but still trapped.

As the chamber slowly came to light, Groot saw a heavily-cloaked figure standing near a door at the far end. The clothing concealed most of the being's features and even if it hadn't, Groot often had trouble telling gender differences in other races anyway. The voice was of no help. It didn't really matter, though...if this being was claiming to have 'dealt with' other Flora Colossi before him.

"Oh, we are well aware the Flora Colossi are long gone. Who do you think was responsible? Your people were too much of a threat to my master's future ends," the being informed him as he moved further into the cell.

"I am Groot!" he growled at the other being, snapping at his cuffs once again, but still to no effect.

"Yes," the being answered with a high, hideous chuckle. "Quite ingeniously, if I do say so myself – to destroy an entire race of beings that are essentially immortal. Our soldier proved his worth a hundred times over in that beautiful orchestration of genocide."

"I am Groot. I am Groot," he said, his voice fading to something quiet and meek as he looked away from the other being. He often tried to tell himself that he didn't care...that it didn't hurt to be the last of his kind. After all, why should he care about a people who had cast him out? It was a lie, though – a lie he told himself to blot out the painful memory of his devastated world, a lie he knew Rocket could see right through when they lay together at night, when his diminutive partner would cuddle closer against his chest, giving comfort just as much as receiving it.

"Thanos did not expect to see a Flora Colossus among this petty Guardian force that gathered against Ronan. Indeed, they would not have survived to defeat him were it not for you. Surely you must realize just how much of a danger you are, even one Flora Colossus alone."

"I _am_ Groot," he snapped at him.

"Certainly not. It was very much my master's intention that you be brought here. None of us had any delusions that fire alone could destroy you."

"I am 'Groot'?"

"'Here' is Zalnkaras, Thanos' chief prison moon. Most of his best reeducation work has been accomplished here. In fact, your Zehoberi friend was raised within these very walls."

"I...I am Groot?" he asked. He knew Zalnkaras was very far away from Xandar, but he could still feel Rocket, however faintly, through the link they shared. It was enough to know he still lived, but he had no way of knowing about the others.

"Your friends? It's my understanding they still live, but that can change quite easily, so I would advise against acting up. Surely you've realized by now...you cannot be allowed to live."

"I am Groot," he said, glaring at the other.

"It will not be over quickly. One who does not die easily...certainly cannot expect a painless death," he began to explain as he moved off to the side, toward a table set against the wall. Upon it sat a stone basin and a large glass bottle filled with a dark red liquid. Unstoppering the bottle, the other upended its contents into the basin before picking it up and carrying it to him, setting it at his chained feet. Groot only caught a faint whiff of whatever the brew's essence was, but he could tell it was something vile...not quite of the living.

"This substance has many names. The Asgardians call it Nidhogg's Fire. Whatever the case, it is deadly to all things that live. A single drop could kill a human...or a raccoon," he added slowly, allowing the implication to sink in for the Flora Colossus. "To dispatch one such as you...it will take a great deal more. The process could take several days."

"I am Groot!" he spat at the other, lashing out to try and kick the basin, but the cuffs at his feet wouldn't allow that much movement.

"Oh, no. No one can _force_ you to do anything. The only trouble with being a creature with a heart, however, is that certain... _alternate_ measures of persuasion exist," the other said, leering cruelly at him.

"I am G...I am Groot?" he asked, even though he already understood what this meant. Even if only to delay the inevitable a moment longer...

"Your companion – the rat. I understand your relationship with him is most...precious to you. If you refuse to comply, he will be killed."

"I am... _Groot,_ " he hissed, voice and shoulders trembling as he looked away from the other.

"You don't think so? He barely survived his last encounter with our Black Arrow. I shudder to think what she might do to him given a second chance."

" _I am Groot!_ " he demanded, eyes squeezing shut as anguish gripped his heart. "I am Groot?"

"What? Use the Akasha? Thanos could do that, certainly, but I believe he wishes to see you choose this way yourself...to _choose_ death... _die_ for your love."

For a long time, neither of them spoke. Groot retreated within himself, weighing each and every possible option. Certainly he could refuse to cooperate with them, but he knew he'd never be able to live with himself if Rocket died because of him. Likely the others were on their way to rescue him now. He trusted Rocket...of course he did. He knew firsthand just how resourceful and tenacious his lover could be...but at the same time, they were dealing with a being who could murder his entire race without a second thought. Did the Guardians have any real hope against Thanos? Maybe...by cooperating now, he could buy them the time they needed?

"Come now, Flora Colossus. We have seen just how much you are willing to give up for him. How long are we going to stand here and pretend you haven't already made your decision?" the Other asked him.

Slowly nodding his head, Groot lifted his foot. While the cuffs didn't allow enough motion to kick the basin over, there was enough allowed that he could place his foot in the basin. This wouldn't be as quick as actually drinking the poison, but it would still be absorbed into his body this way. As his captor had said, it might take several days, but once enough of the foul brew was consumed...he would die.

XxX

Just as Rocket had promised, at exactly forty-eight hours he was anxiously pacing what passed for the bridge on the _Milano_ while Peter and Gamora readied her for takeoff. Drax was sitting further back from the cockpit area with a blindfold wrapped around his head to protect his still healing eyes. He wasn't going to be of much help in the coming fight, but he'd insisted on coming with them just the same.

"So where is this place we're heading?" Peter asked as Gamora plotted their course.

"Zalnkaras," Gamora answered, not looking at any of them as she spoke. "Thanos will have had Groot taken to Zalnkaras. It's his chief prison moon. I was raised there myself."

"You grew up in a prison?" Peter asked, face scrunching up in concern as he looked at her. She still wouldn't return his gaze, though.

"Something to that effect. It is called a prison moon, but it is chief among the many he maintains because he keeps the important prisoners there...the powerful and the political. It is also where he trains his _pets_. Groot will have been taken to Zalnkaras because, like me, he's the last of his kind. Thanos means either to turn him to his own cause...or to make certain he can never fight against him."

"Groot won't work for that slime," Rocket insisted angrily as the _Milano_ lifted up out of the docks.

"I would not be so certain, Rocket. Thanos can be very...persuasive," Gamora said softly, wincing as the ship hit the atmosphere.

"I don't care what you think. You don't know that overgrown splinter the way I do. He is _never_ gonna work wit' a scuzz like your old boss," he snapped, but in the next moment, his entire body seemed to slump in dejection. "He'd _die_ first."

"Then...that will be Thanos' plan – to kill him."

"How far is this place?" Rocket asked her.

"Aboard the _Milano_ , it will take us three days to reach it. Zalnkaras lies in the Keystone Quadrant."

" _What?_ " Rocket started upon hearing her words.

"I'm sorry, Rocket, but we'll be pushing the engines as it is. This is the best we can do."

"No, not...not that. Did you say...Keystone Quadrant?" the raccoon repeated, the last two words seeming to be torn from his throat, almost unwillingly.

"Yes. Why?"

"It...no. It's nothin'," he lied, shaking himself all over before walking away from them. He really needed to be away from the others right now.

The Keystone Quadrant...Halfworld...he'd sworn to himself he would never go back...never fly within half a parsec of that system...except that now it looked like he had no choice. No matter how much time or distance he put between himself and that place, it seemed that the Keystone Quadrant would always be tied to his greatest suffering.

As his thoughts spiraled further and further into despair, he suddenly realized that his whole body was trembling and he couldn't stop it. That and his head was beginning to ache. His shoulder was healed, but the head injury was a little more complicated. If he pushed himself too hard, he could make it worse. Shaking his head in a futile attempt to clear the oncoming fog, he slowly dropped to his knees, clutching at his arms. Was he really having a panic attack _now?_ After all these years...

"Come on...come on...keep it together, you flarkin' infant!" he scolded himself, digging in with his claws until his arms bled. "It's not like you actually have to go to Halfworld."

 _Groot needs you. He needs you. They're gonna_ _**kill** _ _him. Gotta save him..._

_...but...Keystone Quadrant._

For a moment, he couldn't see the spaceship hulls that surrounded him. For only a moment, he was back in a lab...strapped to a table...they were going to-

 _NOOO!_ he screamed silently, clutching at his head in agony.

"Rocket?" Drax's voice suddenly shattered the waking nightmare, drawing him back to the present. Rocket whipped around to face the much larger man, feeling only a faint flicker of relief upon remembering that he couldn't see him. Drax had his hand pressed firmly against the wall to help guide himself along.

"What...what do _you_ want?" he snapped at him, just barely managing to get control of his voice. He didn't quite have a handle on the shaking yet.

"My friend...are you all right?" Drax asked him. He couldn't see his eyes, but he could still see the way his face twisted in worry.

"Been better," he muttered, not quite feeling up to the task of a snarky comeback.

"I only wished to say again...how sorry I am this has happened. I understand what it is you feel. I, too, have known the pain of being so cruelly separated from one's love."

Rocket swallowed heavily at this, turning away from Drax, even though he couldn't see him. It wasn't talked about very much among them, but they all knew Drax was still in pain...probably always would be...reeling from the loss of his family. So far, he'd just been worried about getting Groot back. He may have been a big palooka, but he was _his_ big palooka, dammit! He hadn't considered...what might happen to _him_ if they failed. He'd been _born_ out of suffering. For the longest time, it had been all he'd known. How much worse would it become...if Groot wasn't here anymore? His pain would be just as bared and bleeding as Drax's was. His heart would be that shattered.

"No offense, Drax-man, but I _really_ hope it don't come to that."

XxX

Peter wasn't completely sure why, but both he and Gamora remained in the cockpit after Rocket and Drax had left. Peter had asked Drax if he needed help getting around, but after insisting he didn't need it, silence had filled the space. Neither of them had spoken a word for several hours now and the silence was starting to get particularly suffocating.

Even though he knew there were more important things to be worrying about, Peter couldn't help but think of the many times these last few days Gamora had shown them an almost vulnerability. This whole fiasco seemed to be hitting much closer to home for her than any of their previous ones had...even that first one that had brought them all together. He wanted to be allowed to worry about her, but as usual, something as mortal as worry wasn't permitted with Gamora. Apparently she trusted him enough to fight alongside him and to drink with him when those fights went well...but not enough to let him see past the shield she kept around herself.

The worst of it all was that they weren't talking about what he'd said in the vault before losing consciousness. He had no idea if she thought he just didn't remember what he'd said or if she just wasn't saying anything because she was angry with him...that she couldn't possibly care about a loser like him. And of course, he wasn't saying anything either. He was just too scared...and with Gamora, that was easy enough to admit to himself. She wasn't like other women, and he'd known that ever since he'd nearly given his last breath for her.

What else was he _supposed_ to say...if he thought he was going to die? He wanted to love her; he _did_ love her...so much, but he was pretty sure she wasn't going to let him. More than likely, he'd have to be satisfied with being her friend.

Was he a horrible person for thinking about these things when their little family was falling apart? Probably...but what else could he do? There were three days to kill before they reached Zalnkaras...before Gamora told them what the plan was. Finally, unable to stand the silence anymore, Peter hopped up from his chair.

"All right. I can't stand uncomfortable silences."

"Was it uncomfortable?" Gamora asked him in a tone that made it clear she'd been aware of the tension, but she didn't quite look at him.

"I'm gonna grab a beer. You want anything?"

"No. Thank you," she said, still staring out the forward window.

"Something to eat, maybe? Pretty sure we've still got some of that Pharsalian stew in the fridge."

"No. I will eat later. Just go," she said softly, and if he didn't know her better, he'd say it almost sounded like there were tears in her voice. Rather than risk life and limb to find out, though, he did as she asked, turning and walking away from her.

XxX

With each hour that passed, Groot could feel the deadly poison spreading through his body. He knew he wouldn't be able to stay standing for much longer. He'd just be left hanging in his energy chains, helpless...too weak. Already he could see that his bark was growing pale. The outer layer would die first, moving slowly inward, to the core of him.

Each time he drained the basin of liquid, the Other would enter the chamber to refill it. He continued to speak, to mock him, but the Flora Colossus had long since stopped listening to him. There was something strange about this Other. Groot could easily tell the difference between true life and mechanical life. The Other was neither. He wasn't alive...but neither was he entirely dead. He was a being caught somewhere in between.

Despite Groot's wall of indifference toward him, one of his whispered taunts did manage to make it through to him.

"What do you think will become of your rat when you die?"

Rocket? He hadn't thought about it. He had thought only of saving his life. But what life would Rocket have once he was gone? He'd often told Groot that _he_ was his life...his reason for continuing to live, even though he should have died long ago. What would happen to him? Would he become like Drax had been before they'd all met? A lost warrior with nothing but pain and hate in his heart?

As he felt the poison spreading he could also feel Rocket drawing closer to him, hurtling toward him across the stars. But as he drew closer, Groot could also feel that he was in pain – not just the physical pain of his wounds, but a soul deep agony that the Flora Colossus could feel burning hideously against his own heart.

"I am Groot," he whispered faintly.

_I am sorry...my love...so sorry._

XxX

Rocket woke from the nightmare with a tiny cry. On instinct, his paws reached out for warm bark, only to be met with tangled scraps of cloth and cold steel. Groot wasn't here. He was alone.

He couldn't sense his partner quite the same way Groot could sense him, but now he was certain. Groot was in pain. He was already dying. Even if it had been for only a moment, he had felt it...felt the enormity of his anguish and despair.

Curling in on himself in the little nest he'd made in the engine room, the raccoon buried his face in his paws and cried. He'd only cried once before now, but he just couldn't help it. The tangle of emotions in his heart was so massive, he felt his chest just might burst open from it.

Despite his attempts at being quiet, the other guardians could hear him, gathered outside the engine room as they were. They all wanted to do something to help their furry companion, but they all knew he'd only chase them away. Rocket would never knowingly let them see him like this. So all they could really do was keep close, being there in the only way they were allowed.

They were only a day away from Zalnkaras.


	3. Accomplice

Zalnkaras was a desert moon, dotted all over with imposing stone prisons. After switching out the _Milano's_ dock registration code to allow them to land, it had been easy for Rocket to track which fortress the _Rose Red_ had landed at. Upon docking, Peter, Gamora, and Rocket had disembarked, leaving Drax in charge of the ship.

Peter and Gamora were dressed in large black cloaks and Rocket was clinging to the small of Gamora's back, making himself as small as possible so as to stay hidden beneath her cloak. No easy task when his body was bristling with every manner of sidearm he could possibly manage to keep on him.

"Sure I can't bring the bazooka?" Rocket whispered to Gamora as they moved through the docking bay. The last light of day had just vanished over the horizon behind them, leaving the area in a red-grey sort of half light.

"Where would you keep it?" Gamora whispered, glancing surreptitiously around the area. Only a handful of slaves were still working the bay.

"I dunno. I could think of a few places," he snarled quietly, unintentionally digging his claws into her back.

"Watch those things," she hissed, resisting the urge to slap at him.

"Sorry," he muttered, leaving it at that.

"No more talking," she warned him as she led Peter toward the slave entrance. "We're about to enter the compound."

No one bothered to stop the pair as they entered. After all, who cared about a couple of message runners?

"There now. Easy as pie," Peter whispered once they were well past the security door.

"Pie?" Gamora couldn't quite keep herself from asking.

"Never had _pie_ before? Jeez, Gamora, it's...y'know what? Never mind. It's just an expression. It's going good. We're in, we're out. We rescue the big guy and slip back into orbit before anyone's the wiser."

"I would not relax just yet, Quill. I will not be at ease again until we are far away from this place. Thanos is rarely as simple as one thinks," she returned, unable to keep back the shudder that ran through her body, which Rocket felt, of course. He didn't say anything, but the grip of his claws was briefly loosened, replaced for a moment with the comforting press of a soft paw pad.

"Right. Sorry," Peter said quietly. "I know it's gotta suck to be here...but it _is_ very brave, what you're doing."

Under normal circumstances, Gamora would have taken the time to snub her comrade for commenting on how much courage she did or did not have, but here and now it was a comfort...to have her friends near and to know that they would always stand by her side. At any other time, she might have thought better of it, but now she allowed herself to reach out and grip Peter's hand, the motion mostly hidden by the cloaks. Peter said nothing, just gripped her hand a little tighter as the small team made its way through the dimly lit corridors.

XxX

Drax sat alone in the cockpit of the _Milano_ , anxiously drumming his fingers against the console. If he could have, he would have been anxiously pacing instead, if only to work off the energy building up in his long idle limbs. If he moved away from the console, though, he may well not be able to find it again, and if that happened he would let his friends down even more horrendously than he already had.

The plan was that Gamora would contact him once they had Groot. The ship was still primed and ready for a quick takeoff, but that wouldn't do them much good with the fortress crawling with guards. Therefore, once he received the signal, Drax was to activate the autopilot, which was set to crash the _Milano_ into the ship parked next to it. Nothing that would do too much damage, just enough to cause a distraction, allowing the Guardians to get Groot out of the prison during the commotion.

_I will not fail you this time, my friends. I swear it._

"Docking registration please, sir," a feminine voice suddenly sounded in his ear. Snarling, Drax leapt up from his chair and spun around, trying to take a swing at the intruder, but whoever she was, she'd already stepped clear. He was nearly thrown off balance when his fist met nothing but empty air.

"How is it I did not hear your approach, female?" he demanded.

"I have my tricks. It was easy enough for me to board the vessel of an intruder."

Unable to see his opponent, Drax was forced to focus on her voice to know where she was standing...and in listening to that voice, he found an eerie sort of familiarity. This woman sounded...almost like his wife. Except that was impossible. Hovat had been dead for ten years now.

"Woman...who are you? Why is it that your voice is familiar to me?"

"This I could not tell you, intruder. We've not met before. As to who I am...the only name I have to give you is Moondragon."

XxX

The rest of the Guardians were making good time toward the cell blocks when Gamora suddenly took a knife to the back...only it wasn't her back.

Rocket cried out in pain when he felt the dagger pierce him. Gamora's cloak and his own suit prevented it from going too deep, but there was just no getting around the fact that being stabbed hurt.

"Rocket!" Peter shouted as the raccoon slumped out from underneath the cloak. The dagger tore the black cloth as he fell, ultimately twisting out of his shoulder. Gamora quickly discarded the useless disguise, moving to kneel beside Rocket as he fell to his knees. Despite the pain, though, it didn't take him long to get back to his feet.

"Fine. I'm fine," he muttered, barely paying any attention to the sticky feeling of the blood matting his fur.

"Did you really think it was going to be that easy to rescue your tree friend?" a sickeningly familiar voice asked as its owner appeared from around a corner. Black Arrow stalked slowly toward the group, leading a gang of her own. Rocket recognized the man from the Nova Corps dock, but the other two they'd only seen as holofiles: one man with dark red skin and black hair and another with pure white skin and hair.

"I must say, Black Arrow, you're looking rather well for a woman who had her arm torn off," Gamora commented as she got to her feet. Indeed, the girl looked as if she'd never been injured at all. Black Arrow swung her arm in a circle with a self-satisfied smirk on her face.

"Don't underestimate the children of Dreykoff, Gamora. We'll surprise you every time."

"Where's Groot?!" Rocket demanded as he pulled a small pistol from his belt, aiming directly between the girl's eyes. "What did you lowlifes do to 'im?!"

"The tree?" Black Arrow asked with a laugh. "Just doing a little pest control, really. He's grown quite fond of _weed killer_ these past few days."

Rocket was just about at the edge of his control. He might have made the mistake of launching himself at Black Arrow yet again if Peter hadn't moved to stand in front of him and Gamora, making a big show of removing his cloak.

"Leave them to us, Rocket," Gamora hissed to him as Peter put on a show of challenging their new adversaries. "You must go and find Groot. We don't know how much longer he can hold out. Once you reach the end of this corridor, take a left. At the end of that corridor, there's a lift. You'll take it to the very top and take another left directly out of it. The control center is the second security door on the right. You'll be able to learn Groot's location from there."

"Right," the raccoon muttered, taking in her instructions with a quick nod. "You two flarks better stay alive 'til I get back." Then he was gone.

"Where does he think he's going?" Black Arrow asked, glancing briefly past Gamora. "It won't make any difference. You've come too late to save the Flora Colossus. Without doubt, they're already putting his body through the incinerator."

"We do not believe that," Gamora declared defiantly as she drew her blades.

"Yeah, you don't know Groot the way we do. Before we proceed to the ass-kicking, though, I think maybe we should do some proper introducing. My name's Peter Quill, the mighty and heroic Star-lord. This is Gamora, last and deadliest of the Zehoberi. What about the rest of your possie, Black Arrow?" Peter requested as he drew a laser pistol.

Black Arrow narrowed her eyes at this. "You really want to go through this again? Do you not recall what happened the last time you requested a name?"

"Seems only polite," Peter responded, seemingly unaware of just what sort of situation he was in. Gamora knew better, though. She could tell the difference between true stupidity and put on blitheness as far as Peter went. This was an act.

"If you insist. The people who are about to kill you are known as Crossbones, Red Guardian, and Alrik," Black Arrow answered, indicating the black-skinned man, the red-skinned man, and the white-skinned man respectively.

"And just so I'm clear, are you all human?" Peter asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"More or less," the white-skinned one, Alrik, answered, "but we have left humanity far behind. If you have heard tell of humans, do not expect us to give you an easy fight."

"Hey, hey, hey, let's all be nice here. After all, I'm human, too. Well...mostly," Peter said as he fired off a shot, grazing Alrik's shoulder before he could sidestep the blast.

Snarling in both anger and pain, Alrik leapt at Peter, easily knocking the weapon from his hands and engaging him in a furious fist fight. Black Arrow and Crossbones also moved in to join the fray, but Gamora quickly engaged them, catching Black Arrow's claws with one blade while moving to stab Crossbones in the side. The hulking fighter managed to catch the blade, though, cutting his palm instead. The Red Guardian was the only one to hang back, continuing to observe the fight.

Gamora didn't really have time to see how Peter was doing, as she was busy keeping Black Arrow's claws from piercing her chest while avoiding blows from Crossbones. She ceased to really think about the situation. The battle became more like a dance, moving to the rhythm of her own pulse as she glided seemlessly through each deadly move. She was aware of their surroundings only in so much as she could use them to her advantage. Her two opponents were moving the fight in the opposite direction from the lift – toward Thanos' throne room. A bit of a weakness of his, the old man always seemed to need a throne to sit upon. When the fighting had reached the more airy space of the chamber, Gamora took only a moment to note that the throne was empty. Good. More than likely Thanos was not even on Zalnkaras right now.

Gamora only vaguely noted that Peter and Alrik had kept pace with them, still trading blows. The Red Guardian was still drifting around the edge of the fighting, creating a loose perimeter...circling...circling...right up until he pulled out some sort of gun and fired at Peter.

" _Peter!_ " she shouted at him. He looked up just in time to avoid the large metal flechette aimed at his head.

"The _fuck_ is that?!" he shouted at the other man, still trying to hold off Alrik.

"Like it? It's an old Earth weapon. They call it a flechette gun. Not as elegant as some of these space age lasers, I'll grant, but it certainly packs a _punch_ of its own," the younger man said, firing another round which Peter just barely managed to avoid.

"Don't let him talk, Quill. Just fight," Gamora coached, keeping her attention on her own battle. This time when Black Arrow came at her, instead of turning aside her claws, she got in a deep swipe along her side, a small well of blood fanning out along her torso as she spun away from her. The girl gave a small grunt of pain as she collapsed against a column. Unfortunately, that was also the moment Red Guardian's flechette gun finally found its target.

Peter cried out in pain as the flechette pierced his leg just above the knee. Alrik forced him to his knees and pulled a gun from his own belt, holding it to the former outlaw's head. Crossbones used Gamora's moment of distraction at this to throw her across the chamber.

The former assassin landed painfully on the steps leading up to the throne. In only moments she had her blades ready for when Crossbones was on her again...but that wasn't what happened next.

"Hello, dearest daughter. How long has it been?"

Gamora froze in horror at the sound of the voice. She still heard it in her nightmares...and again, just like in her nightmares, she looked up to see him standing over her.

Thanos.

XxX

Rocket followed Gamora's instructions easy enough. Once he'd reached the control center, it was also easy enough to determine which cell Groot was being kept in. What was _not_ easy...was the sight he beheld when he actually entered the cell.

Groot was hanging limply against the far wall of the gloomy prison cell, held up only by a pair of energy cuffs. Another pair of cuffs lay at his feet, but if they'd been used they clearly weren't needed anymore. Groot no longer had the strength to fight back. His bark had gone impossibly pale and dead bits of greenery had started to fall from his body. He didn't even look up when Rocket entered, his head hanging hopelessly off to one side.

"Groot," he whispered. For a moment, he was frozen with fear...fear that he was already too late...but when the Flora Colossus managed to give a very faint groan Rocket immediately raced forward.

The next thing the raccoon noticed was a stone basin that Groot had his foot settled in, nearly drained of some sort of dark red liquid. He tried to push his foot out, but even in this weakened state that foot was massive compared with Rocket's own minuscule body.

"Come on, you ass. I can't do this by myself. You gotta...help me," he grunted, still struggling to lift Groot's foot.

Finally, slowly, the Flora Colossus lifted his leg from the basin, allowing Rocket to shove it aside, spilling what remained of the red liquid across the floor. He'd never smelled anything quite like it before, but whatever it was, it made him want to throw up what little he'd eaten since Groot had been taken...and Groot now had whatever this stuff was coursing through his body.

"I...I am Groot," he whispered faintly.

"Course I did, stupid head. Wasn't just gonna leave ya to die, was I," he said, scampering up the wall and setting to work on the cuffs that bound the Flora Colossus.

"I am Groot. I..."

"Hey, no! Don't talk like that," Rocket snapped at him, severing the last energy binder and causing the cuffs to fizzle out and snap open. Groot slid slowly to the floor, too weak to stand. "Don't you say your goodbyes. Not yet. You hear me? I'm gonna get you outta here. Just stick wit' me."

"I am Groot," he insisted, smiling up at him as he weakly reached out a hand to touch his face. "I _am_ Groot."

"No," Rocket hissed, eyes squeezing tightly shut against the anger and pain he didn't want to let escape. "I don't wanna hear it. I am not gonna let you die like this."

"I am Groot."

" _Come on!_ " he shouted, smacking Groot's hand away from his face. "Don't quit on me now. Don't you do that! What am _I_ supposed to do...if you ain't here anymore? I _need_ you, you big...dumb..."

"I...I am...Groot," he pleaded with him, unable to raise his hand a second time.

"Fine! I...I love you, too," he said, giving in to his partner's request to hear the words one more time.

"Isn't that just precious?" a new voice suddenly entered the cell. Rocket spun around to face the new threat – a heavily-robbed figure whose only truly distinguishing feature was a second thumb on each hand. It wasn't the appearance that bothered the raccoon, though. It was the voice...that strange, high, hiss of a voice. He almost thought...he might have heard it before.

"You did this," Rocket said quietly. Nothing else mattered...not the being's identity nor this strange sense of familiarity. The only thing that mattered was that this slimeball had hurt Groot...and he would make him pay for it.

"Yes," he answered with a simple chuckle, holding up another bottle of the strange red liquid. "Sadly, little rat, you've come too late. I have here your beloved's last dose of medicine. We'll finish this quickly."

"Then I'll just hafta _drop_ you quickly!" Rocket snarled at him, slipping a grenade from his belt and tossing it at the other being. He didn't seem worried, though. No. He only sneered at the raccoon as he tossed his own projectile – the bottle of poison.

He thought he heard Groot screaming, but he couldn't be sure in the deafening roar of the explosion. Both he and the Other were thrown back. He didn't see what happened to his opponent, but when he landed beside Groot, he heard the bottle shatter...felt whatever poison was contained inside splatter over him.

Almost immediately, he began to feel dizzy and short of breath. The world was spinning and melting and his head was pounding and it was _so hard_ just to get one god damn _breath_. Somewhere in the back of his mind he realized that the poison had entered through the wound in his shoulder...and whatever it was, it was spreading fast. It was happening so fast, he could actually _feel_ his body shutting down.

"Well...shit," he muttered, collapsing feebly against Groot's side, and as everything started to fade away around him, he could faintly hear the Flora Colossus making a sound he'd never made before – an anguished, keening wail that pulled at even his heart. Groot was crying.

"Hey...it's okay...'s okay," he said softly, reaching out a paw to brush against Groot's bark. "What was I gonna do wit'out you anyway?"

That wasn't good enough for Groot, though. No. Rocket deserved so much better than this...better than to die like a rat in a cell. So, using what little strength he had left, he stretched out a vine toward his lover, pressing it to the open wound in his shoulder.

Rocket himself was close to gone. If this was death, he found himself thinking, then it wasn't so bad. The world was getting clearer again...and the pain in his body was lessening...breathing was easier...but when his thoughts finally came together in realization of what that meant, it was too late.

"Groot!" he shouted, snapping out of the daze and looking back just in time to see his partner withdrawing his vine. He'd drawn the poison out...but only because he'd taken it into himself.

"Dammit! Dammit! _Dammit!_ " he shouted, pounding a paw against the floor in self-hatred. "Why'd you _do_ that, you stupid-"

"I...am..." Groot tried to say, but couldn't quite finish. He managed only a brief smile before his eyes slid shut.

"Damn you, you flarkin' tree! If you die on me now, I'm gonna kill you!" Rocket snarled at him. The Flora Colossus was still with him, but he couldn't hold out much longer. Moving faster than even _he_ knew he could, he raced back to the control center, straight to the communications console, tapping into the frequency for the docks.

"Drax? Come on, Drax-man, pick up. _Drax! Where are you?!_ "

XxX

Drax was busy trying to dodge blows from his mysterious assailant when Rocket's call came through. This Moondragon wasn't so strong as all that, but she _was_ very fast. There was only so much he could do when he could only track her movements through sound.

"I cannot allow you to best me, slave of Thanos. My friends are depending on me."

"Then they will be sorely disappointed," she said. He could hear by the way her voice traveled that she was circling him. That was how he could track her! He had to keep her talking.

"Why do you serve Thanos?" he asked the young woman, trying not to focus on the sound of Rocket's desperate shouting. "He has no care for you or the people you hurt. The warlord has no care for anyone. Why?"

"Do you want a life's story, intruder? It is a simple matter. I serve my master because I owe him a debt. If Thanos has no care for me, then he did a very strange thing ten years ago when he took in a child who had been abandoned...left to die," she explained, continuing to circle.

"If Thanos did this thing, it was for a purpose. He _uses_ you," he insisted, continuing to track her. She was moving closer.

"Then so be it. I care not. If my life has purpose for my master, he may use it as he so chooses," she said, though he thought he might have heard a trace of hurt in her voice. What might have come next didn't matter, though. She'd come close enough. He had a fix on her position. He leapt at her, delivering a harsh blow to her skull.

Moondragon dropped soundlessly to the floor. It took him a moment to feel for her unconscious body, but when he finally located her, he was actually relieved to find a pulse in her neck. He couldn't explain the relief. This girl was a servant of Thanos. By rights, he should kill her now, end one more wasted life of wickedness...and yet...there was something about this girl. He could not bring himself to kill her. Turning away from her, he felt his way back to the flight console.

"I am here, Rocket."

"Where the fuck have you been, you flarkin', muscle-bound-"

"I am sorry. I was ambushed. Are you ready now? Am I to activate the automatic pilot?"

"No. Change of plan. Shit's goin' down real bad in here. Quill and Gamora got held up by Black Arrow and her pals. I found Groot, but...he...he's in bad shape. I can't move 'im. I'm gonna need your help."

"I do not know of what help I might be. I cannot reach you."

"Ain't what I meant, Drax-man. I'll get ya to us. I just need those muscles a' yours."

"How will you do that?"

"The _Milano's_ still locked into the dock computer network. I can jack into her system from here and give her directions. I just need you to disengage from the port lock so's she can fly."

"How do I accomplish this task?" Drax asked, feeling for the button Peter had pointed out to him earlier.

"Port navigation is gonna be three buttons to the left of auto command. It's a lever. When you find it, just pull down. It'll disengage the lock. I'll take it from there. You got it yet?" Rocket pressed, clearly anxious.

"I think I feel it," Drax said as his hand wrapped around some sort of lever. Without hesitation, he pulled down on it. Immediately, something in the ship blared to life.

"Good. Hold tight, Drax-man. I'm bringin' you to me."

Drax tumbled back into the pilot's chair as the _Milano_ took off, shooting out of the docking bay. Unable to see what was happening, all he really could do was hold tight and trust to Rocket. After only a few minutes, he heard the ship's laser canon fire on a target before landing he knew not where. In another few minutes, he heard the exit ramp lowering, then the sound of Rocket scurrying into the cockpit.

"Who's this?" the raccoon asked.

"She said her name was Moondragon. She is the one who attacked me."

"Well...no time to worry about it now. Just dump her. Carry her off. I'll take you to Groot."

With Rocket's help, Drax was able to find Moondragon again. He lifted the girl's much slighter body in his arms and allowed Rocket to lead him off the _Milano_. When Rocket finally told him to put Moondragon down, he found he was hesitant in letting the girl go.

"Will the girl...be all right here?"

"As all right as she _can_ be, workin' for Thanos. Why the hell d' _you_ care anyway? Thought you wanted to bring 'painful and righteous death to all who serve Thanos'," the raccoon quoted.

"I...cannot explain it," he said quietly, being gentle as he laid Moondragon down on the stone floor.

"Oh...no. Hell no! You gotta be flarkin' _shittin'_ me!"

Now Drax was just confused. "Why in the name of all the stars in the sky would I wish to consume you and expel you as excrement?"

"No, that's not...it ain't...gah! I can't really explain this one either. We just gotta get outta here," Rocket snarled, leading him from the spot where he'd laid Moondragon.

What Rocket had no hope of explaining to Drax just then was that a man he'd recently thrown a grenade at, whom he'd left in a pile of ruined limbs, ruptured flesh, and shattered bones, was slowly beginning to sit up. The Other was picking himself up out of the pile of rubble he'd been left in and slowly starting to pull himself back together.

Rocket turned away from the horrific sight, anxiously guiding Drax down so that he could lift Groot in his arms. Once the Flora Colossus was secure, Rocket quickly began to lead the way back to the _Milano –_ as quickly as Drax _could_ move, anyway.

"You won't get away," the Other's strangled voice followed them down the corridor. "My master already has what he desires."

XxX

"Please, Gamora, don't get up," Thanos said mockingly as he watched her struggle to rise. "What is it that brings you back to me? I see you have a _boy_ with you."

"Be silent," she hissed at the being who'd played at raising her. "He's none of your business."

"Oh, on that I must disagree with you, my dear," he said as he helped her to sit up – just before jabbing his hand at the base of her spine, cutting off her motor functions and forcing her body to collapse limply in his arms.

" _Gam!_ " she heard Peter shouting.

"A nickname? My, my, my, how sweet. This human really does care for you, doesn't he. Is _he_ the reason you left me?"

"I left because you are a horrid, wicked waste of a life form," she snapped as best she could. "Peter has nothing to do with this. We came here to rescue our friend."

At this, Thanos laughed. "Of course you did. Just as I knew you would. While the death of the last Flora Colossus is a worthy boon indeed, it was really you and Peter I wanted to speak to."

"What...do you want- with us?" she struggled to ask as he forced her head up, turning her gaze in Peter's direction. Alrik still had him on his knees with a gun at his head. The other three were circling around them, blades, claws, and guns at the ready. If Peter made even one move, he would be twenty different kinds of dead.

"Look at him, Gamora," Thanos said quietly, so that only she might hear. "Remarkable creatures, these humans. So weak...so easily destroyed...yet strong enough...foolish enough...stubborn enough...to defy even _me._ They are glorious contradictions, these things. All too weak, but with a little...alteration...they can be exactly what I need."

"And what is it you need them for?" she asked, struggling to sound indifferent.

"You know what my goal is, of course – to possess all of the singularities, the Infinity Stones. I cannot accomplish this without humans. I am...breeding my own task force, as it were. Your Peter Quill would actually suit my purposes quite well, as he is not all human. What is that I smell? Asgardian perhaps?"

"I would not know. Either way, you had better let him go. He _isn't_ part of this," Gamora hissed.

"Quite the contrary. I have a much more noble purpose in mind for your Peter than he could have ever imagined for himself. For you, as well, dear child. You and your sisters have served me well, but you have never been quite what I needed. You can, however, aide me in far greater ways."

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean to... _breed_ the two of you," Thanos hissed in her ear.

"What?" she whispered in horror, suddenly very grateful that Peter couldn't hear any of this.

"Think of it, my dear. A child of yours...with his human blood. It would be just what I need."

"You cannot...you can't...we are not _animals,_ Thanos," she hissed back at him. No matter how hard she tried, she could not make her body move.

"Oh, but you may as well be. That is all any of you are to me."

"I will not do it. You cannot force me to lie with him."

"Can't I? There are ways and ways again...methods of persuasion too unseemly to speak on. I could certainly threaten to kill him if you don't take his seed to yourself. As I understand it, that would not be too difficult where this one is concerned."

"So?" she whispered, struggling desperately for the utter indifference that had once come so easily to her. "Why should I care if you kill him?"

"You care. Do not pretend to me, Gamora. I see that you care for the boy...and that he cares for you. There is much I could do to ensure you bear him children, but I have something specific in mind...something much more... _delicious,_ " he hissed, and as he spoke, Gamora felt the prick of a needle entering her neck. She screamed in both anger and horror as she felt the drug enter her system.

" _Gamora!_ " Peter shouted as Thanos flung her limp body to the floor. If he tried to move, she wouldn't have been able to see it. The next thing she became aware of was Thanos kneeling over her, leaning down close to whisper to her.

"He will beat in your blood constantly. If you sleep, you will dream of him. He will fill your life and you will _burn_ for him, _ache_ for his touch. You will be helpless to do anything but long, long, _long_ for him until it drives you mad. The longer you resist, the worse it will become...until you lose control completely. The only way to stop it...is to lie with him. And when you finally give in to it and bear his children...then I will come and claim what is rightfully mine. You're an accomplice now, Gamora."

He might have had more to say, but that was the exact moment half the throne room went up in a barrage of laser fire. Gamora couldn't move her head properly to see what was happening, but the next thing she became aware of was Peter's arms around her as he picked her up...and already she could feel the burn of raw _want_ in the places where his skin touched hers.

"No," she whispered in horror. "No...no...no..."

"Hey, look. It's the rest of the guys with the _Milano_ ," Peter said happily, as if some sort of victory had been won. Being careful for once, Peter helped her turn her head so she could see the hole Rocket had blasted through the wall...the hole the ship was now flying through. Almost before the _Milano_ had landed, the exit ramp was descending and Rocket was scampering down, armed with his favorite bazooka.

"Quill, come on! Get your lazy ass end in gear!" the raccoon shouted as he fired several rounds at the supporting columns, reducing even more of the chamber to rubble.

Peter moved as quickly as he could with Gamora in his arms, ducking and sidestepping when their four opponents attempted to fire at them.

"Well, if it isn't the little rat, come to save the day," Thanos' voice suddenly thundered over the sounds of the battle. "It's been a few years, hasn't it."

"What're yous talkin' about?" Rocket demanded, aiming his bazooka at the warlord.

"I ought to know my own property, oughtn't I?" Thanos mocked. "After all, who do you think it was that commissioned your creation?"

" _What the fuck are yous talkin' about?!_ " the raccoon near shrieked, obliterating the column next to Thanos, but not able to bring himself to actually fire on him. If he really knew something about his creation...

"Rocket, don't...you must not listen," Gamora called weakly from the top of the ramp. "We need to leave. _Now._ "

Shuddering with anger and sudden fear, Rocket finally nodded, following Peter back up the ramp and signaling Drax to take off.

"Do you want us to pursue with the _Rose Red_?" Black Arrow asked Thanos as the _Milano_ lifted off.

"No. There is no need. Peter Quill and my Gamora have nowhere to run to. Nowhere but each other."

XxX

"Where's Groot?" Peter asked as they headed up to the bridge.

"Got 'im laid out in the kitchen. He...he ain't doin' too good, Quill. I'm givin' 'im what water the ship can spare, but it...I dunno," Rocket said, not looking at them.

"Do we need to get him back to Xandar?"

"Ain't much they can do there. Medicine ain't gonna help. He needs clean water and good soil. Ain't been too many of those planets in the galaxy since the Flora Colossi got picked off. Any a' yous know a place like that?"

"I might know one," Gamora offered as they entered the cockpit. "It isn't perfect. The air isn't clean, but there are places where they still let the forest grow. There's even a place that's like the Flora Colossi world."

"How long would it take to get there?" Rocket asked, looking almost hopeful.

"A week if we push hard."

Rocket sighed, but ultimately steeled himself. "It's the best shot we got. Let's do it."

"All right," Gamora said, just barely managing to reach out to the console and enter the coordinates into the nav computer.

"Gam, that's...those are the coordinates for...Earth," Peter said, looking a little shell-shocked as he collapsed into the co-pilot's chair with her still in his arms. She would have given anything to be away from him just then, but she still couldn't stand on her own...and all she wanted to do was cling to him...cling to him and kiss his lips until he begged for mercy.

"Yes. Yes, they are."


	4. Temptation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so incredibly sorry for the delay on this chapter! Unfortunately, I've been having computer troubles out the wazoo over here. But my baby is finally back home with me and seemingly in working order once again. Hopefully, I won't be keeping you in suspense nearly as long for the rest of the story.
> 
> One other thing you should know before we proceed. The major difference between the MCU and my little universe is that Thanos and Loki, not HYDRA, were responsible for the creation of the Winter Soldier. We'll be seeing a little more of what's happened in my other stories at this point, but it shouldn't be anything too hard to tackle. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy.

Far into the night cycle, Gamora found herself sitting alone in the cockpit. She would say it was long after the others had gone to sleep, but she wasn't sure if Rocket was going to sleep at all until they reached Earth, which wasn't good for him, as he'd mentioned that his head was still bothering him. Groot would certainly be angry with him...if he were even conscious to _feel_ anger. The only sign they had that he was still with them at all was that the bowl of water Rocket had set his hand in had been drained. He hadn't given up yet. Somewhere inside, he was still fighting.

As Gamora hadn't been able to move much on her own for several hours after the battle, Peter had taken care of patching up his and Rocket's injuries, which she was grateful for. She didn't want to think about what might happen if she had to touch his bare skin in order to bandage him.

The steadily burning fire in her flesh was easier to bear when he was away from her. She hadn't told him what had happened. She didn't want him to ever know...didn't want him to know how Thanos had twisted her feelings and turned them into shame. She _couldn't_ let Peter be used this way.

He'd come to her earlier in the night, asking if she was hurt, but she'd insisted it was nothing more than the nerve pinching Thanos had performed on her. She would recover easily enough. She'd faced steadfastly away from him, determined not to go to him...to not let him hold her in his arms...run his fingers through her hair and kiss her breasts. Telling him to leave her be was the hardest thing she'd ever done in her life.

She knew it was already starting to become difficult for Peter as well, even though he would have no idea why. Her body was already starting to put out pheromones and they were focused on him, unwillingly drawing him to her. He would find it hard to stay away from her. He was probably in his bunk now, getting himself off to the thought of her...and stars, but if _that_ image didn't enflame her...

She could feel the changes in her body already, every cell reacting to the heightened level of arousal...the _need_ to couple with that foolish, idiotic, brave, beautiful human. Her breasts were becoming tender and swollen. Her skin was alive with an electric current, aching to be touched. Her lips felt parched every moment they weren't kissing his. A delicate sheen of sweat had broken out all along her skin and there was a very distinct sort of moisture at her inner thighs, just between her legs. And there, at the center of her torment and desire, there the flames were licking the hottest...a tongue of fire at her most intimate place. She was one spark away from becoming an open flame.

Her vulva swelled to think of Peter touching himself...touching _her_. Unable to help herself, she began to rock against the chair she sat in. She was so wet, she could feel herself dripping with it, soaking the chair. Her clit _throbbed_ with insistent need and almost against her will, she found her hands sliding along her belly, reaching down and unzipping her pants.

"No...don't do it... _fight_. Don't let...him win," she hissed at herself as tears poured down her face, but she couldn't help it. She _needed_ it too much... _needed_ to touch herself. If she didn't have some sort of release soon...she would die.

It was a strange thing, to be sobbing and moaning in the same breath, but she was that torn between emotions...pleasure and pain...self-hatred. She groaned softly as she rubbed at her sex, tears spilling down her cheeks all the while.

"Hngh...ah... _Peter_..." she whispered as she rubbed all the harder, her fingers slick with her own wetness. She could practically feel his body against hers – hot, hard, and demanding. When her climax finally seized her, she gave a single tiny, strangled cry.

For several long moments after, she just lay slumped in the pilot's chair, hating herself, hating the slickness that still clung to her thighs...hating how it had made her feel.

After a time, when she'd managed to gather her composure and looked a little less disheveled, she brought up communications, setting up for a transmission to Earth.

She hadn't told the others yet, but there was another reason she wanted to travel to Earth. Another former servant of Thanos could be found there. She didn't think he could really help her, but right now she was willing to do anything as long as she didn't have to think about Peter.

When her transmission was finally picked up, a shirtless, sleepy-looking man with brown hair and a metal arm appeared on the screen.

"Gamora?" he asked, blinking sleepily at her.

"Yes. I'm sorry if I woke you, James...but you said I could contact you if I needed to."

"Yeah, of course," he said, shaking himself awake. "What's wrong?"

"Why must...something be wrong?"

"Well, let's see. Last time you contacted me, you'd just betrayed one of the most powerful beings in the universe and you wanted to know how I'd gotten on with my life after doing the same. Granted, I didn't _remember_ my time serving Thanos until I saw your face again, but the point is you and I tend to only be in each other's lives when the shit's hitting the fan. Am I wrong?" he asked, offering her a wry grin.

Gamora just barely managed to return the smile. "No. You are not wrong, James Barnes."

"So what seems to be the trouble?"

"Thanos had...taken one of my friends captive. We managed to rescue him, but he is not doing well. They poisoned him. Medicine will not help him, though. He needs a planet with green life. I thought Earth might serve our purpose."

Barnes scratched the back of his head at this, looking uncertain. "It's a pretty sad commentary on the state of things in our galaxy if Earth is the closest place you can find with enough green to meet your needs. We don't have all that much left ourselves."

"We only need one place. If I recall correctly, there is a preserve on your world...a place where giant trees may be found. Is there such a haven on Earth?"

"Sequoia National Park? Yeah. I guess that'd get your guy what he needs. Why would that help, though?"

"Do you remember the Flora Colossi?" she asked.

For a moment, Barnes looked lost in thought, and when he returned there was something like fear in his eyes. "I...I _think_ so. Tree guys?"

"Something like that."

"But...something happened to 'em..."

"That is correct. Groot is the last of their kind."

Barnes seemed to think for several more minutes, but ultimately shook his head, trying to rid himself of whatever dark thoughts were creeping up on him. "So what can I do to help?"

"I was hoping you might give me coordinates for the location we need."

"Sure thing. Anything else?" he asked as he typed out a message to send to her.

"Well...I believe it would be useful to have an ally on your world, as your kind are unused to seeing galactic peoples. If it does not interfere with your business...would you be able to meet us there?" she asked him.

"Shouldn't be too much trouble. I'll talk to Steve about it. We'll let you know if there're any problems. How long before you guys touch down?"

"We're hoping to be there within the week. I'm not...completely certain the _Milano's_ engines can handle the push, but...it's the only chance Groot has."

"Well...God speed, then."

"James?" she started before he could break off the connection. "There is...one other thing I wanted to ask you before you go."

"Yeah?"

"Your Steve...when did you first know that you loved him?"

Barnes didn't even try for any sort of witty or comical response to that question. She could see the shift in his gaze, the seriousness in his eyes as he looked at her.

"Gamora, I loved Steve Rogers the moment I met him. Took me a few years to figure out what that meant, but I _always_ loved him."

"But what does that _mean?_ How do you _know_ when you feel love...and not just friendship?" she pressed. She _needed_ to understand this thing that gnawed at her heart.

"I couldn't tell you how that would feel for you. I'm not you. I don't know how you feel things. For me...Steve makes the world a little less frightening. I want him to have everything he could possibly ever want. When he's in pain, I want to change the world so it doesn't hurt him anymore. I've done a lot of bad shit in my life, but Steve makes me happy...makes me feel like I _deserve_ to be happy...like everything I went through was worth it...just to be with him. I dunno if that helps, but that's what I feel," he finished, staring intently at her.

"Yes...maybe...I don't know. Thank you," she said quietly. Maybe she had felt some of those things, but the last thing she wanted to do right now was analyze her exact feelings toward Peter Quill, because that would involve thinking about him, which really wouldn't help her situation at all. "See you in seven days."

"Right. We'll keep our eyes on the sky," he said just before the screen went dark.

Gamora wasn't certain how long she sat alone trying not to think about Peter, but her fruitless effort was ultimately interrupted by Drax feeling his way into the cockpit.

"Gamora? Are you still in here?"

"Yes, I am here," she said, resisting the urge to get up and help him to the copilot's chair. "Was there something you needed?"

"There is...something I wish to ask," he said when he was finally seated in the other chair.

"All right."

"Who is Moondragon?"

"Moondragon?" she repeated. Of course she _knew_ Moondragon. The confusion stemmed from just why Drax wanted to know...or why he even knew the name.

"She was the girl who attacked me."

"Ah. Well...Moondragon was one of my sisters, the youngest, in fact. She's only sixteen. Really, I can't imagine why Thanos would think her ready to fight against you, even blinded as you are."

"Her voice sounded...familiar to me," he admitted, gripping the arms of the chair in tight fists.

"Moondragon _is_ one of your own people. It's possible she was someone you knew before...a child Thanos took alive from the ruins of an annihilated village."

"Of course...possible," the Destroyer said quietly, looking out at stars he couldn't see. It was so strange to see him like that – contemplative...lost in thought...maybe caught up in a memory from the past.

Neither of them spoke anymore that night. They simply sat together, both lost in thoughts they wanted no part of.

XxX

It was late at night when the _Milano_ touched down in Sequoia National Park. Landing on a small stretch of earth between a lake and a thick forest wasn't exactly ideal, but Peter was pretty sure Rocket would claw his face off if he tried to look for another spot. Groot's bark was still horribly pale and bits of it were beginning to rot and fall off.

Drax, his eyes finally fully healed, helped Peter to carry the Flora Colossus down to the lake while Gamora kept a look out for any unwanted visitors. Rocket dashed in anxious circles around them as they moved.

"So what do we need to do?" Peter asked as they moved into the still water.

"Just lay 'im down 'bout half in the water. If he's got enough strength...he'll do the rest 'imself," the raccoon explained.

"And there's nothing we can do in the meantime?" Gamora asked, glancing briefly at them as they gently laid Groot down, half in and half out of the water

"No. It's up to 'im now. We should know...one way or the other...by mornin'," Rocket said, not looking at them as he settled himself in the dirt next to Groot's head.

"You're just gonna sit out here with him?" Peter asked.

"That's the idea, yeah."

"Well...I could at least get you a blanket or something," Peter suggested lamely, feeling particularly despondent as he headed back toward the _Milano_. This week had been one of the worst of his life. Right at the start, he'd felt guilty for even allowing the situation to happen at all. They would all be torn up if Groot didn't make it through. He didn't even want to _think_ about what might happen to Rocket. Drax hadn't been speaking much, seemingly lost in thoughts of his own, and Gamora wouldn't even look at him. He _knew_ something had happened she wouldn't tell him about – maybe Thanos had said something to her – but she just wouldn't give him a chance to talk to her about it. Every time he tried, she would shut him down. She wouldn't let him in. She was shutting him out even worse than she usually did. Why? Did she not think he could help...or was she still angry about his confession? There were a hundred questions and no answers. On top of all this, he'd been almost frightened of the idea of returning to Earth for reasons he had no hope of explaining, even to himself. In most situations he would try to stay positive and think things couldn't possibly get worse...but that thought seemed almost like a challenge now.

This situation could get worse. It could get _much_ worse.

The universe almost seemed to want to prove this to him when he emerged from the ship to see Gamora and Drax standing in defensive positions as the headlights of another vehicle approached their little haven.

The vehicle reminded him of his grandpa's old RV...except that this baby could have easily been turned out by a team of Xandar's best scientists. It almost looked more space age than the _Milano_ herself did. When the RV came to a stop and a man emerged from it, Peter quickly moved to stand with his friends.

"Gamora?" the man called out, and the moment his face was lit by the _Milano's_ floodlights, the Zehoberi visibly relaxed.

"It's all right," she told them. "This is the man I told you about. It's good to see you, James," she called to him as she moved forward to meet him.

"Good to see you made it here safe. How's your teammate holding up?" James asked her.

"We won't know until morning," she answered, glancing back at Rocket and Groot. Rocket hadn't left Groot's side during the exchange.

"Well...he made it this far, I guess," James said, reaching out to briefly take Gamora's hand...and when she allowed it, Peter couldn't quite help the spike of jealousy that twisted in his gut...almost worse than being pierced by Black Arrow's claws. Gamora had told them she had a history with this man and Peter now found himself itching to ask a few fundamental questions as to the exact nature of that history.

"Have you guys eaten anything yet?" James asked them. "We've still got a few boxes of pizza left if you're interested. We can sit inside and talk."

"Pizza?" Peter whispered in amazement, unwillingly feeling a little of his jealousy slip away. He hadn't eaten pizza since he'd left Earth. "I will definitely take you up on that."

"What is pizza?" Gamora asked, looking like she _wanted_ to pose the question to him, but still wasn't willing to look at him.

"Oh, Gam, you haven't _lived_ yet. Tell me you've got pepperoni in that fancy camper of yours."

"Pepperoni, sausage, and the works," James said with a grin.

"Awesome. We'll get started on that then," Peter said before delivering the blanket he'd originally gone to get to Rocket. "Sure you don't wanna join?"

"Nah, I'll be fine."

"Rocket-" Gamora started to argue.

"I know. I know. Don't worry 'bout it. I'll eat when...when I know," he said, turning his attention back to Groot. Whatever else might happen, he was not going to look up again until he had his answer.

"Other than that...the rest of you are all right?" James asked as he led them into the RV.

"Physically unharmed. This fight was...not without its costs," Gamora answered for them, her voice pained in a way Peter just couldn't grasp. Maybe this James guy could get her to talk about what had happened with Thanos. Before he could add anything of his own, though, he realized that James hadn't come alone in the RV.

There were six other adults gathered around a central table and four kids piled together on a small couch situated against the wall opposite the door.

"Guess we brought the whole family along," Peter said slowly.

"Not so much. This is only half the family, really," an older man with brown hair answered as he leaned his chair back, resting his head in his hands. Peter couldn't help but notice that, like James, this guy had a metal prosthetic. "The Avengers, saving the world before the bars close and keeping the world leaders honest, all while running your friendly neighborhood daycare center."

"Avengers?" Gamora asked.

"Yeah. They were the group who fought against Loki three years ago," James explained.

"We're kind of a big deal around here," the man continued.

"He says to the people who are clearly not from around here," another one of the men said as he propped his feet up on the table. He was a little younger than the first, with close cut brown hair.

"Uh, pretty sure we're bigger," Peter insisted. "We're the Guardians of the Galaxy, baby."

"Never heard of you," the first man fired back dismissively.

"Except that you have. When Bucky explained the situation to us a week ago," yet another man pointed out. This one had blond hair and blue eyes.

"Seriously? Nobody else heard about our fight? What does blowing up a god damn space battleship get a superhero these days?"

"So you _want_ to become well known in this galaxy?" Gamora snapped at him. "You _want_ to go to war with the most ruthless being this side of the intergalactic axis? Let us know how that turns out," she said, turning as if to leave. She didn't think it was possible for anyone to be more annoying than Peter Quill, but this man was definitely giving him a run for his money.

"Just ignore him. Tony's kind of an asshole," one of the women at the table spoke up. Her dark red hair hung in ringlets just past her neck.

"Natasha, language," another of the women reminded her, nodding her head toward the couch full of children. One of them was clearly pretty young. This woman's brown hair hung a little past her shoulders. The first woman just rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"While I'm certain this domestic bliss is extremely fascinating to our visitors, I believe they've come here for another reason than to hear Earth's Mightiest bicker," the last woman started. This one also had red hair, but it was much longer than the first woman's, even when pulled into a ponytail atop her head.

"Exactly why did all of you join in on this little field trip?" Peter asked.

"Well, Tony and Jane wanted to meet some space aliens they didn't have to kill on sight," James started to explain, gesturing to the first man and the brown-haired woman. "Steve came because I did," he continued, sitting down beside the blond man.

"And Clint and I came because Barnes asked us to," the first redhead, Natasha, said, nodding at the man sitting beside her.

"You're not gonna be able to call me that much longer," James pointed out with a chuckle.

"You're not married _yet,_ Barnes. 'til May, it's fair game," Natasha returned with a smirk.

"Oh, gettin' married?" Peter asked their host, trying to sound casual.

"Yeah, to this one," James responded, lightly punching Steve's shoulder, and immediately sending a wave of relief through Peter. Not only was this James character going to be thoroughly off the market very soon, but if he was also into guys, surely he didn't have to be worried about the kind of history he had with Gamora.

"So...where's this pizza I heard so much about?" he heard himself asking, a small grin spreading across his face.

"Oh, right. Sorry," one of the kids, a teenage boy who looked to be Asian started as he climbed up off the couch and headed toward the back of the RV, to a small kitchen area where four familiar-looking boxes were stacked. "Help yourselves. You can use these chairs," he said, gesturing to a set of chairs that seemed to fold directly out from the small kitchen island.

Peter sprang for the boxes and yanked open the first one. Right away he was greeted by the sight of cheese and pepperoni.

"Oh, great temple of greasy goodness, too long have I been absent from your worship. Never again shall I stray from the path of righteousness," Peter intoned before shoving nearly a whole slice into his mouth.

"This 'pizza'...it is a religious order?" Drax asked.

"That is just...disgusting," Gamora said, almost seeming to tremble as she looked away.

"Guys, come on. You gotta try this," Peter said through a mouthful, moaning in bliss. The taste took him straight back to his seventh birthday, streamers everywhere, the scent of his grandpa's cigarettes lingering in the air, grease dribbling down his chin...tomato, cheese, and pepperoni.

"Maybe...maybe later," Gamora said, seeming to struggle with the words. Slowly, she turned her attention back to the last member of the little group, the only unnamed one...the woman with the long red hair. "What about you? Who are you? Why are you here?"

"I am Dr. Sinthea Schmidt, head of S.H.I.E.L.D. biotechnology. I came because I wanted to ask you about the three young people you fought."

"You've seen Arrow," one of the other kids, a teenage girl with close-cropped red hair said softly, "and Alexei...and Brock."

"You know 'em?" Peter asked as he reached for another slice of pizza, trying hard to ignore the disconcerting way the girl was staring at them.

"You could say that," the teenage boy said, the once welcoming look on his face turning cold and harsh. "You could even say we're siblings."

"I understand you've been informed about the Red Room project," Sinthea said.

"Yes, our sources told us there were nine subjects total but that Thanos only had control of three of them...though we did see a fourth man on Zalnkaras – a man with white skin and yellow eyes," Gamora told them.

"Alrik," Steve said quietly. "He wasn't Red Room, but he worked for a man who had an alliance with them – Johann Schmidt. As I understand it, he's working for this Thanos character now."

"We did not see him there. Only this Alrik...along with his three compatriots," Gamora said.

"These four young people you see here are among the remaining six Red Room initiates. Brock, Alexei, and Arrow _chose_ to join Thanos. The others did not," Sinthea explained.

"Would that have anything to do with the reason why those three look like they stepped out of a nightmare?" Peter asked, once again remembering the flash of pain as Black Arrow's claws slashed into him.

"I'm afraid that's my doing," Sinthea said, closing her eyes briefly as she shook her head. "You see...some seventy years ago, a very brilliant scientist created a serum that could enhance a human being to the peak of physical perfection. It would have given humanity the ability to generate armies of super soldiers. Unfortunately, Dr. Erskine refused to share his formula for fear it would fall into the wrong hands. When he was murdered, it was feared that the secret to the serum had died with him."

"Hold up a sec," Peter said, setting down his latest slice of pizza as an old memory started to wake up. "You're talking about...Captain America, aren't you?"

"Yeah, she is," Steve said, and as Peter looked him over a second time, he slowly started to realize what he was looking at.

"No way. Steve? As in...Steve _Rogers?_ "

"That's the one," Steve said, offering him a tired smile.

"No way! I had comics of you when I was a kid! I thought you died, though. What happened there?"

"The serum. I was basically on ice for seventy years."

"But if this serum was lost seventy years ago, what does it have to do with Black Arrow and the rest?" Gamora asked.

"Because I discovered the secret to recreating it," Sinthea took over once more. "I was taken by the Red Room and they used my knowledge to enhance their initiates. The procedure was performed on Brock Rumlow, Alexei Shostakov, Nadi Johari, Makoto Kajiura, and Belle Arnette," she explained, nodding at the boy and girl respectively. Then she nodded to the younger two children, a boy with red hair and a very young girl with long blonde curls. "The younger four were not enhanced."

"And do these two young ones have standard human appearances?" Drax asked.

Makoto raised an eyebrow before slowly answering, "Yes."

"Then what is it that causes the inhuman appearance of the other three?" Gamora asked.

"I know this one," Peter said, raising his hand slightly. "The serum takes what you are on the inside and amplifies it on the outside," he said, remembering the story of Captain America and the Red Skull.

"That's right," Makoto said, not looking at anyone as he spoke. "Those three...they were the worst of us. Arrow always said she was a creature of night. She always had to prove her strength...and she didn't care about the people she killed. And Brock...he _enjoyed_ it. He _liked_ killing. Alexei, well...he liked to play games. He liked to toy with people before killing them. They all went with Thanos without a second thought. I was the only one who came through the procedure mostly normal."

"What about her?" Peter asked, nodding at Belle. She wasn't staring at him anymore. Instead she was staring at the door, as if she could see through it...back in the direction they'd left Groot and Rocket. Before anyone could explain, she began to talk.

"Afraid," she said quietly.

"Afraid of what?" the younger boy asked her.

"Of being alone. Of being left behind. Afraid of...being alone with himself." Then, in a voice that sounded eerily like Rocket's, she began to say, "Didn't ask to get made...didn't ask to be torn apart...put back together...over and over...and turned into some little monster!"

With a tiny cry, Belle tore her gaze away from the door, shaking her head to try and clear it...but when she looked up again and her eyes locked with Peter's, he could almost swear he felt her latching on to something inside of him.

"Frightened...of the world, of what was...of things left behind. Don't want to forget. Have you forgotten? Couldn't let you die...won't..." Then she reached out her hand, her voice sounding like Gamora's one moment and the next...his mother's. "Take my hand, Peter."

The next thing Peter became aware of was suddenly smacking into a wall. He could only go so far back from the girl before being stopped by the RV. Belle had once again torn her gaze away. The younger boy was hugging her and Sinthea was making her way to them, enfolding them both in an embrace when she reached them.

"Don't think, don't feel, let it go. Just let it go," the scientist soothed Belle, running gentle fingers through her short hair.

"What the _hell_ was that?" Peter demanded, not wholly able to keep his voice from shaking. "What did she do?"

"Belle was very empathetic before the procedure. The infusion affected her mind most of all," Makoto explained. "She's become...telepathic...in a way, but she can't always control it. She sees things whether she wants to or not."

"So she...reads minds?" Peter asked.

"If you want to call it that," Steve said, a note of bitterness in his voice. "Saying she _reads_ minds implies she has a choice in the matter. It's more like the barrier between her mind and others doesn't exist. If she focuses on one person for too long, the thoughts just start pouring in."

More might have been said, but unfortunately that was the moment Belle started screaming. She tore herself away from Sinthea and the boy, dropping to her knees and clutching at her head as if in agony.

" _Burning!_ " she screamed. "Burns! Burns! Always burns! Needing. Wanting. Stop! Can't stand it! _Make it stop!_ I can't stand it! _I don't want this!_ "

At first, Peter wasn't sure who Belle could possibly be reading. He hadn't seen her lock eyes with anyone. But then he happened to glance toward Gamora...and saw her staring at the girl in abject horror.

"Gam?" he started hesitantly, reaching out to touch her arm. When she felt the touch, she quickly flinched away from him, shaking her head as she gripped her arms tightly in her hands.

"Keep away. _Leave me be,_ " she hissed.

For a moment, his gaze darted between Belle and Gamora, but then Belle managed to lock eyes with him and in that same hiss of a voice, she whispered, "Take me."

"Jane, could you please bring Balder and Zasha?" Sinthea asked as she knelt beside Belle, forcefully wrapping her arms around her.

Jane nodded and quickly moved past the Guardians, toward a room at the very back of the RV. A few moments later, she emerged with two yowling babies, probably awakened by Belle's screaming. Being careful, she knelt beside the two women.

"Look at this, Belle. Look who's come to see you," Sinthea continued to soothe her. Once the girl was calm enough, Jane passed one of the babies into her arms. Belle held the little one close, crying quietly with him as she patted his back.

"An infant's mind is less harsh. The thoughts are much simpler. Contact with the little ones helps to soothe her," Sinthea explained as she continued to stroke Belle's hair.

"Huh. Anyone else hiding in this camper we should know about?" Peter asked.

"No, that's everyone. Balder is Jane's son and Zasha is Clint and Natasha's daughter. They're only a few months old, can't be away from their mothers too long," Sinthea said.

"Babies...children..." Gamora said quietly. Then she shook herself and headed back toward the door. "I'm sorry. We'll have to talk more in the morning. I need to rest."

"You sure you're okay?" Peter asked, trying to follow her.

"Tomorrow, Peter. I can't...not now," she said, hurrying out before he could say anything else.

So this was it, she thought as she headed back to the _Milano_. This was the suffering her 'father' was wreaking in order to create his army. She was not the first to be used as an experiment, nor did she imagine she would be the last. More awful still was the worsening ache in her body...the desperate _need._ It was sheer will that kept her from just throwing Peter down and riding him until she'd drained absolutely _everything_ from him – his seed, his lust, his desire, his hope, his love...his life. Would either of them be able to go on living if she fell to Thanos' cruelty...if she were forced to betray him like this?

Even worse, now it seemed this girl could see all of this inside her. Perhaps Belle couldn't comprehend all of it, being as young as she was, but she would still have to be cautious while they remained on Earth. She would have to do her best to keep these perversions from further harming this already scarred young woman. She didn't even make it to her bunk before she had to stop and beat at the wall with her fists, leaving several dents. Peter would be upset, but at least it had helped her quash the image of Peter with his head between her legs.

"Why _me,_ Thanos? _Why?_ " she demanded as she banged her head against the wall, wishing she could knock herself unconscious.

 _Because you_ _ **care**_ _for this fool of a human. No other reason,_ she answered herself. _You were a fool and you let yourself care for him...and now Father will_ _ **punish**_ _you for it._

XxX

Rocket wasn't asleep so much as he was in a trance. He was vaguely aware of what was happening around him, but he was mostly focused on Groot.

Sometimes he wished he could sense the Flora Colossus the way he could sense him. It would make this whole process a little less nerve-wracking. He could only faintly feel Groot's mind at the other end of their link. All he knew was that he was still with him, not if he was getting better or how close to death he might still be.

_Come on, you overgrown splinter. I came; I got you out, but you gotta work wit' me. Don't quit on me now._

He sat by Groot's side all through the night, one paw resting on his head. Maybe he cried a little. Maybe he prayed a little. He would certainly never admit to either one. He didn't stir from his spot until he suddenly felt a vine brushing against his cheek.

Instantly, Rocket snapped to attention, eyes blinking in the early morning light as they locked onto Groot's own smiling eyes.

"Damn you, you flarkin'..." he muttered, not quite able to finish as he swiped a paw feebly at his face. "All this fraggin' salt water's gonna ruin my fur," he finally growled. Somehow, against all odds, the Flora Colossus had survived the night.

"I am Groot?"

"No shit, you oversized sapling. Wasn't just gonna leave you out here by your lonesome, was I? Besides, Quill brought out a blanket," he pointed out, shrugging out of the old musty-smelling blanket.

"I am Groot," he said, voice sounding sad as he sent out several more vines, gently curling them around Rocket's body and drawing him to rest on his chest. He couldn't quite sit or stand yet, but he had other ways of holding his lover.

"Shut up, leaf mold. It ain't like you wouldn't do the same for me. I'm just glad you're okay," he said, reaching down a paw to gently rub at some of the pale, dead bark. The stuff was already starting to fall away and there was new, living bark underneath it, warm to the touch. Rocket couldn't quite help smiling. "Tastin' okay?"

Again, Groot smiled. He couldn't quite nod, as his body was thoroughly attached to the ground by all the vines he had extended into the soil and water, but the smile pretty much said it all.

"I am Groot."

"Yeah, well, don't be too long about it. Don't want your ass gettin' fat," he teased, even though that was pretty well impossible. Nobody else would have been able to see it, but something about Groot's smile shifted at this.

"I am _Groot._ "

"Be that as it flarkin' well may, we is not havin' that conversation right now. You can flaunt your woody ass end later. Right now...you still need to rest up," he said, his last few words interrupted by a very long yawn.

"I am Groot?"

"Nah," he said, shaking his head. "I could stay awake for days. Though...maybe a few winks wouldn't hurt," he amended as Groot drew his head down to rest against his chest, several more vines wrapping around the raccoon in order to cradle him there.

"I am Groot," he encouraged, stroking Rocket's face with another vine. The raccoon shook his head, but didn't really make a move to try and get up.

"But you're helpless like this. Who's gonna...keep an eye on ya...if I sleep?" he pressed, barely able to get the words out for all his yawning.

"I am Groot. I am Groot," he soothed. Rocket had done more than enough. He had certainly earned the right to a nap, at least.

"Fine, split branch, but just a few minutes," Rocket tried to insist as his eyes blinked shut. He wasn't long for the waking world."Gotta...keep an eye out."

"I am Groot," he assured him, though he very much intended to see that Rocket had at least a few hours of uninterrupted rest. " _I_ am Groot."

"Yeah...I love you, too," he muttered before finally passing out completely. Groot smiled contentedly as he settled back into the soil. In spite of everything that had happened and everything that was probably still to happen, right now he was in this beautiful place with Rocket and he fully meant to enjoy this peace for as long as it lasted.

Unfortunately, as seemed to often be the case in the lives of the Guardians of the Galaxy, their peace didn't last very long. It was shattered quite thoroughly the moment Rocket snapped out of his deep slumber several hours later.

At first, the raccoon couldn't tell what it was that had jarred him from his sleep so suddenly, but as his senses started to work for him again, he began to realize it was the sound of approaching voices and footsteps. He recognized Quill and Gamora right away, but they were talking to two other guys. One he didn't recognize...and the other he'd been hoping to never hear again. If this voice belonged to the person he was thinking it did, he would only have seconds to kill him before he tried to kill them.

 _Quill, Gamora, what the hell are yous_ _**doin'** _ _wit' this bastard?_

He knew that Groot could feel him tensing against his chest. The Flora Colossus surreptitiously loosened the cocoon of vines around him, enough to allow him the freedom to pull a grenade and a small laser pistol from his belt, but also keeping the vines tight enough to conceal the movement. Groot recognized this voice, too.

"Don't worry," he said softly, still not looking up at the approaching enemy. "He ain't gonna get past me. Not this time. I'm not gonna let nothin' happen to you."

There was no discernible signal between the two, but faster than the blink of an eye, Rocket had leapt up from Groot's chest and sprung forward, placing himself solidly in between Groot and danger. The man who stood before him now looked different than he had three years ago, but he would know him anywhere.

"Quill. Gamora. Back away from this lowlife if yous would like your persons to remain in one piece," he snapped at his friends, holding the grenade out before him.

"Rocket, what are you doing?" Peter asked, his stance immediately becoming defensive.

"'s'it look like I'm doin'? I'm blowin' this murderin' scum to the moon. Now _move!_ "

"Rocket, you cannot kill this man," Gamora insisted, taking up a defensive stance right along with Peter.

"Why not? He'd kill us!"

"That's not true!" the other man argued, a blond guy Rocket didn't recognize. The man first made a move to stand in front of Rocket's target, but he stopped him with a hand on his shoulder...a metal hand. Rocket had no idea if it was some sort of trap, but there was something...almost sad in his enemy's gaze.

"Calm down, Steve," he urged.

"I think we could probably all stand to calm down," Peter said, hands raised in a placating fashion.

"I did not come this far just to watch this bastard kill Groot in front a' me. That's what he said he'd do last time we bumped heads."

"Wait. You two have met?" the blond, Steve, asked his target.

"Maybe. Probably."

"Don't act like you don't know, Winter Soldier. You was sworn to kill _all_ the Flora Colossi. I ain't gonna let you finish your work. If you want Groot, you gotta go through _me,_ " he snarled at him.

"Rocket-"

" _This is the last time I am gonna tell you!_ " Rocket screamed at them. "Back off, or I'm gonna blow you all away. Last chance."

"If you would just listen-"

"Too late," he hissed regretfully, arming the grenade and letting it fly.

" _Bucky!_ " Steve shouted, trying to step in front of him, but the Winter Soldier easily shoved him aside, holding up his flesh hand to stop the grenade. The projectile froze in mid air and instead of throwing out a wall of flame like it was supposed to, its explosion was somehow contained in a small sphere, almost like it was surrounded by a forcefield.

"The hell?" Rocket whispered in shock.

The Winter Soldier sighed and shook his head, briefly turning an annoyed gaze to Steve. "You, punk, are a little too eager to throw yourself on grenades. We're gonna talk about that later. And Rocket," he started, turning to look back at him. "My name is James Buchanan Barnes. Most call me Bucky. You aren't wrong, though. I _was_ the Winter Soldier. He's probably still in here with me. I don't doubt that I deserve what you were going to do to me-"

"Buck-"

"No, Steve. It's true. You don't know how true it is. I may not remember why, but I have no doubt his anger is justified."

"He's like me, Rocket. He was made to serve Thanos against his will. He is not the man you met in the past. He's free now," Gamora tried to explain.

"You sure on that? 'cuz I'm not sure I'm willin' to take that risk. You didn't see what the Winter Soldier did to the Flora Colossi home world," Rocket tried to argue, keeping his pistol aimed at the man's face.

"Hold up. Are you sayin'..." Peter started, not quite able to finish as his gaze shifted to the man with the metal arm.

"That's exactly what I'm sayin'. You're lookin' at the man who single-handedly wiped out the Flora Colossi. He murdered every last one of 'em...all of 'em...'cept Groot," Rocket growled, keeping his eyes trained on the mercenary and fighting not to shudder at the memory of the wasted world he and Groot had touched down on...only to be pursued by the Winter Soldier.

"Did I...did I really do that?" Bucky asked, looking stricken.

"Oh, yes. You really did...and you promised me then that you'd come after us...that you wouldn't stop until _all_ the Flora Colossi was dead. Guess you ain't gonna get a better opportunity than this, but don't think I ain't gonna give every last bit a' fight that's in me before I let you kill 'im," Rocket swore, priming his pistol to fire. "How 'bout it? Wanna find out if you can stop a blaster bolt?"

For a long while, Bucky just stared at the two of them. When he finally began to speak, it was with an unimaginable weight of sorrow in his voice. "I know saying how sorry I am will never be enough for something as horrible as that. I wouldn't dream of hurting any of you. All I can say is that I hope the man who did those things is dead."

"Bucky, you _didn't_ do it. They just used your hands to do it," Steve insisted.

"Is it really so different?" Bucky asked, shaking his head and holding out his arms. "Rocket...if it's what you want...go ahead and shoot. I won't stop you."

"Bucky, don't-"

" _NEIN!_ " a little girl's voice suddenly shouted. Before anyone quite realized what was happening, there was a tiny human standing between the two of them, a little bit of a thing with blonde curls and blue eyes...not all that much bigger than Rocket himself.

"Eve, go back to the RV. You shouldn't be out here," Bucky scolded her.

"Mm-mm. Mm-mm," the little girl insisted, shaking her head almost violently. "You can't shoot Papa. _You can't!_ "

"What...the hell...?" Rocket whispered, lowering the pistol only a little.

"Please, mister raccoon," she begged. "Don't hurt my papa. Don't kill anyone. I don't wanna see anyone else get shot."

Torn, Rocket faltered for several moments, uncertain of what to do until he felt a vine reach up and wrap around his wrist. There was an insistent pressure against his fur, but his paws weren't forced all the way down. Groot wanted him to make the choice himself.

"I am Groot," he said softly, soothingly.

"But what if I back down...and he kills you anyway? It'll be _my fault,_ " Rocket tried to argue, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I am Groot," he reassured him, caressing his cheek with a vine just so. "I _am_ Groot."

_It's all right. Everything will be all right._

"Dammit," Rocket finally hissed, lowering his arms and tossing the pistol off to the side. The next thing he knew, he was nearly crushed in a little girl's embrace.

"Thank you! Thank you!" she cheered, hugging him tightly.

"Aw, _hell_ no!" he snarled, wriggling to try and get free without actually hurting the girl. "Somebody damn well better detach this grub from my person right this flarkin' minute or it's gonna get ugly."

Before he'd even finished speaking, Bucky was beside them, already extricating Eve from him and pulling her into his own arms.

"Thank you...for not hurting her," the former Winter Soldier said quietly.

"Yeah, well...can't go 'round roughin' up li'l bits who ain't never done nothin'," he said, slowly bringing himself to meet the man's gaze as he scratched the back of his head. "Guess we got a lot to talk about."

XxX

Just as soon as she was confident that Rocket wasn't going to kill Bucky, Gamora made herself scarce, disappearing into the surrounding forest.

Children and babies had never been a part of her life. She had been trained to kill and she was a bringer of death. What business did she have with new life? And now, at just the time when she absolutely did not want to be thinking about children, she seemed to be surrounded by them.

"You all right?"

Without even thinking, she drew a blade and spun to attack. Peter just barely managed to avoid the stab. The blade swept past his ear, winding up buried in the tree just behind him. When she saw the brief flicker of fear in his eyes, her heart just about stopped. She might have _killed_ him. How could she be this out of touch?

"Don't sneak up on me. Next time it might be your heart," she warned him, yanking the dagger out of the wood and re-sheathing it. Before she could back away from him, though, he reached out to gently grab her arm.

"Normally, I wouldn't be _able_ to sneak up on you. You're kinda starting to scare me, Gamora. I know something happened with Thanos. What's _wrong?_ " he pressed, trying to look into her eyes, but she kept shifting her gaze away.

Already she could feel the heat spreading along her skin, emanating from the place Peter was touching her. She could feel her skin starting to flush and her sex beginning to throb with need. It was happening faster now and it was much more intense. How much longer could she hope to control it? Visibly trembling, she pulled her arm free of his grip before she could surrender to the desire to just push him back against the tree and have him.

"The child?" she struggled to ask as she turned away from him, searching for any topic that wasn't the two of them. "Who is she?"

"Oh, yeah. Guess you left the conversation early last night. Her name's Eve. She's the youngest of the Red Room subjects. She's...gonna be six in a few months," he said, voice thick with an emotion Gamora couldn't quite identify. "She's so little...just a kid. I wish I could say I can't believe somebody would treat a kid like that, but..."

"We know better," Gamora said quietly. "At least this child might have some chance for a normal life."

"That's true. Looks like these Avenger characters have pretty much adopted them. That's why these four are here. Steve and Bucky took on Eve and Mako and Belle and Aiden are with Sinthea. Seems to me like she feels bad for what's happened to Belle."

"Probably...but I hope they aren't so foolish as to think these children are safe from Thanos just because they refused to join him. He would have all manner of unseemly use for a girl with Belle's power," she said, still avoiding looking at Peter.

"Power," he said slowly. "I meant to ask you...what Bucky did with that grenade, I know that's not a serum effect. Is that something Thanos did to him?"

"It's likely. The Winter Soldier was always more Loki's project than Thanos', so I don't know about everything that's been done to him, but I do know that his power was nowhere near that strong the last time we fought together. He's become...much stronger," she said. She was really having trouble keeping her focus off of Peter now.

"Probably a good thing, too...if you think Thanos will come after those kids," Peter said, the sound of his voice telling her that he was moving closer to her.

"Again, very likely," she said, shifting her hands up to grip at her arms, digging her nails in until it hurt. If she turned to Peter now, they would both be done for.

"And...would he come after you?" Peter pressed, laying a hand on her shoulder. Immediately she began to tremble.

_Peter, don't...please don't...don't make me-_

"No," she hissed. "No, I don't think so." She wasn't going to give him reason to. She wasn't going to let him win. The only thing Thanos wanted her for...was to bear Peter's child, and she wasn't going to let that happen. She'd die first.

"Gamora, please...just tell me what's wrong," he pleaded with her. The hand at her shoulder was gentle...but so, so _hot_. "You haven't been yourself since we got out of there. Don't shut me out. Let me help."

"There's nothing you can do. It...it's really nothing," she lied. "Seeing what he's doing to these children...it just brings to mind things I'd rather not think about." That was technically true, but she would give anything for that to be her only problem. "Black Arrow isn't the only one of Thanos' daughters to be...violated."

"Oh," Peter said faintly. His voice was soft, but his grip on her shoulder tightened briefly. "It wasn't...him...was it?"

"No...but he let it happen. He _watched._ I was twelve years old. It was his idea of teaching a lesson," she said, her voice bitter. "I don't know what I'm saying. I have no idea why I'm saying this to you. Just...don't touch me!" she suddenly lashed out, pulling away from him yet again. " _Don't ever touch me again!_ "

Stumbling forward, Gamora moved until she fell against another tree, clutching desperately at the bark to keep herself from turning around. She could almost see the hurt look on his face, hear him moving toward her again...feel his hand moving through the air to touch her shoulder again. The battle between her heart and her body was the most intense she'd ever fought.

_Please...Peter...don't make me do this. I don't want to hurt you._

It would all be over, she knew...the moment he touched her skin again. She wouldn't be able to fight it anymore. Without even realizing it, Peter would be destroying them both.

_I am sorry...so sorry. There can be no forgiveness...for what I will do to you._

Somehow, though, before everything could fall apart, she felt his hand stop...less than an inch from her skin. Then she heard him back off.

"I get...why you wouldn't want a guy like me touching you...after what happened to you. I just want you to know I'd never hurt you. I'd rather _die_ than hurt you. If it seems like I'm ever gonna hurt you, you have my full permission to kill me," he said, trying and failing to laugh. "I'm going back now. You can head back when you feel ready. Tony said something about grabbing Chinese later. Shouldn't be too hard to get Rocket to eat, but you gotta eat, too. Don't stay out all night," he advised her. Then he was gone.

It was a struggle not to look back...not to watch him go...a struggle to know how much she'd hurt him and be unable to soothe that hurt. Just one little glance would only cause even worse pain.

When she was finally able, she forced herself to let go of the tree, moving in the opposite direction of the little camp. She couldn't even _try_ not to think about Peter. He was beating in her blood, thrumming in her every thought. All she could think about was him...him and what he'd just done.

He'd backed off...even though he didn't want to...but because she'd asked him to, and she knew how hard that must have been with her pheromones pulling him unwillingly in her direction...and in that moment, the whole situation just seemed a little less frightening, somehow.

_Peter...it's true. I think I really do love you...and that maybe...just maybe...you might love me, too._

It wasn't just a matter of not betraying a comrade anymore. It was a matter of not harming the person she loved...and Thanos had known it would come to that in the end. He knew her too well...and when she was finally forced by her own body to commit the ultimate betrayal, it would be the end of her...and the end of Peter. In the light of day, he played a fool with no care for anyone's heart, but beneath the exterior he was really gentle and caring. She could see that while she'd been struggling with what she really felt, he had known what his own feelings were a long time ago. It would destroy something inside of him...for his love for her to be used this way. How could she let this happen?

_I want you to have everything you could possibly ever want. I want to change the galaxy so it doesn't hurt you anymore. I will not see your heart injured this way._

Was it real love? She couldn't know. If it was not, it was surely the closest she could come to loving another. With no idea how far she'd walked, she allowed herself to lean against a tree to rest for a moment, glancing up at the blue sky through the trees.

When she looked up, she could make out some sort of sky bird soaring through the air, but in the next moment, it was swooping toward the Earth, diving down into a meadow just ahead and seizing some sort of small animal in its talons. As she watched the bird fly off, Gamora couldn't help but feel unease steal over her heart. As if she'd just seen some sort of omen. But what? Was she the bird flying free in the knowledge of what it was she truly felt...or was she the predator coming in for the kill?

_Peter..._


	5. Prey

Gamora didn't know how long she stayed away from the camp, but when she finally did return, she scouted the lakeside area very thoroughly to make sure Peter wasn't anywhere in sight. However, as she moved out of the treeline, someone else fell into step with her.

"Lookin' for someone?" Rocket asked as they moved toward the lake.

"Not exactly," she said quietly, not looking at him.

"Well, if it makes ya feel any better, he ain't here. He and the other guys took the RV out to grab some grub."

"That's...good," she said absently, glancing toward the lakeshore to see Groot sitting up. He was still attached to the earth in several places, but he was definitely starting to look much better. Eve was scurrying around him and pulling off chunks of dead bark for him. "How's Groot doing?"

"Better. I'd say he'll be his old conversant self in another day or so. He definitely likes havin' the squirts around," he said, smirking as he watched Groot grow a tiny flower for Eve, who gave him a big smile as she wrapped her arms around him.

"That's good," she said, managing a small smile. "He deserves some peace after everything that's happened."

"Ain't that the truth," Rocket said, looking a little embarrassed. "And I probably shouldn't be so edgy. At least the whole Winter Soldier business is another load off my mind."

"True enough," she said absently, her gaze moving to Drax, who was standing with the three Earth women, all gathered around what appeared to be some sort of cooking apparatus.

"Gamora?" Rocket started, placing a paw on her leg to stop her before they could reach the others. "There's...somethin' I wanna ask you about."

"Yes?" she asked, fairly certain she knew what that something was, but _un_ certain of what help she could possibly be.

"Back on Zalnkaras...when we was makin' our getaway...and Thanos was talkin' about...property and commissionin'..."

"I heard," she said when Rocket couldn't quite bring himself to finish.

"Do you know...what he was talkin' about?" Rocket asked, barely managing to meet her gaze. There was something almost...frightened in the raccoon's eyes. "I mean...I was made on Halfworld, but I...I don't know much about it. I know only two a' us got out when the place was busted by Nova Corps, but...but..."

"Honestly, I don't know. No one's privy to _everything_ Thanos has his hands in...no one except the Other, maybe. It's entirely possible Thanos was the power behind Halfworld and just had the project's origins covered up when the authorities raided it. I'm afraid...if you want the truth...that's something you'll have to seek for on your own, and that's only if you _really_ want the truth. Do you truly want it to be worse than it already is?" she asked. She knew firsthand. With Thanos, it could only ever get worse. What lay behind her was a nightmare of itself and she felt certain that if she knew what he really wanted human soldiers for, her situation would become that much worse. She knew exactly what sorts of horrors were behind Rocket's eyes at night. How much worse would those nightmares become if he learned what truth there might be behind his creation?

"I dunno. I really...don't know. I don't see how it could be worse, but I think we all know what a load _that_ is. I guess...maybe I just wanna understand...why. I'm not stupid enough to think knowin'll change anything...but that don't mean I don't wanna know _why,_ " he said, the fur along his shoulders bristling as he looked away from her.

"I suppose I can understand that. At least you have the comfort of knowing that Groot will still love you...no matter what the truth turns out to be," she said, smiling sadly as she glanced back toward the Flora Colossus. The other three children had joined Eve around him and he was contentedly growing little flowers for all of them, even little Balder, whom Belle held in her arms.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rocket asked, glancing sharply up at her. At once, Gamora realized she may well have given away more than she'd meant to.

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head as she started moving toward Drax and the other adults. She had seen what was between her two companions and she knew that nothing Thanos or anyone else could do could destroy it. This thing with Peter, though...the fragility of it scared her.

"Gamora-"

"So what is it we are attempting to accomplish over here?" Gamora asked the three women before Rocket could say anything more. She knew that her attempt to sound casual had failed miserably when the women all stared at her oddly. Jane was the one to finally take pity on her.

"Making lunch. The boys won't be back for a few hours yet with dinner, but we should have enough burgers for anyone who wants one. Your friend...Groot, was it?" she asked.

"Yeah," Rocket answered, though he kept on glaring at Gamora.

"Does he eat or is it all just that absorption process?"

"Nah, he's fine. He's gettin' some good eats from that lake."

"And yourself? Any dietary needs we ought to know about?"

"Lady, I'll eat anythin' you put in front a' me," the raccoon said proudly.

"He's not joking, either. We haven't really had need of any sort of garbage disposal aboard the _Milano_ ," Gamora warned them, still going for casual and failing.

"Guess it won't matter if the grill catches fire then," Natasha teased from where she was sitting in some sort of folding chair.

"I know a certain S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who's not getting any then," Sinthea fired back without missing a beat. She and Jane were busy at the 'grill', each flipping what Gamora assumed was some sort of food. Whatever it was, she found she liked the scent. More than likely, it was some sort of animal.

Natasha probably would have been helping if she could, but she was busy feeding her own baby. A single breast was bared and the infant was sucking greedily on it. The woman's teasing attitude seemed to disappear when her attention shifted back to her child.

"This...S.H.I.E.L.D. organization...you work for them?" Gamora found herself asking, remembering the name from their debriefing at Nova Corps.

Natasha sighed at this. "Technically, yes. At the moment, I'm on maternity leave, but when I'm back on the job, I'm more likely to work with the Avengers."

"And why is that?"

"We had a...bit of a falling out with S.H.I.E.L.D. a few months back. Clint and I...well...while we've got Zasha to worry about...we don't want somebody we don't trust getting too involved. We trust Barnes and Rogers...and the rest of the Avengers. It's more like a family than anything else either Clint or I have ever experienced...and that's what we want for our daughter," she explained, shifting Zasha to her shoulder in order to burp her once she'd finally let her breast drop.

"If I might ask...what was this falling out over?"

"The answer to that question's probably a lot longer than you've got the time or patience to sit through. That one's the story of my God damn life. The only thing that might mean anything to you is that the Red Room tried to take Zasha away from me. They would have done to her what they did to Belle and the others. S.H.I.E.L.D. was keeping things from me the same way the Red Room was. I decided I didn't want them involved anymore."

"And you decided all of this...over a child?" Gamora pressed, wincing when she saw the baby spit up on Natasha's shoulder. Natasha just grinned and wiped the gloppy mess away. What was it about children anyway? Why were people so willing to give up everything for the sake of a baby's smile? What was so special about a child?

Natasha thought for several moments before answering. Zasha was wriggling in her arms, but she kept a tight hold on the little thing while appraising the woman before her.

"I didn't plan on having Zasha. I _never_ thought I'd be a mother. A, I'm not suited for it at all and B, I didn't even think I _could_ have children. But then I suddenly found myself expecting her and...Clint was so damn happy, it...everything just _changed_. For a while there I had no idea what to do, but...then I saw her for the first time. I looked into her eyes and...everything was different. I knew I couldn't go back."

"That is so," Drax said quietly as he watched the new mother and her child. "Your whole life changes when you become a parent."

"Got kids yourself?" Natasha asked him.

"Had," Drax corrected painfully, eyes sliding shut for a moment. "My daughter was murdered...a long time ago. I wish nothing but joy for you and your child."

"Thank you," Natasha said solemnly.

"Natasha, if the child is finished with her nourishment...would it be all right with you if I held her?" Drax asked, looking uncertain.

For a moment, Natasha looked uncertain herself, but then she nodded. "If you think you can handle her. She's quite the little wiggle worm."

"Your child is a worm?" Drax asked in confusion.

"She moves around a lot," Gamora supplied, nodding at the now-concerned mother, letting her know it was all right to pass Zasha over. Natasha hesitated another moment before finally passing the baby girl over.

"Do not fear. My own child was very energetic. I am equipped to handle the most unruly of children," he reassured her, and indeed, after a few minutes of getting used to each other, Drax and Zasha were quite pleased with the new situation. Gamora had heard Drax speak of Kamaria very fondly, but it was still almost strange to see the violent warrior so tender and gentle with another.

"Well, who'da thunk it," Rocket said quietly, shaking his head.

"You seem pretty hung up on this whole kid business," Natasha said to her just as quietly. "You're not...pregnant, are you?"

"No!" she insisted immediately, the very thought of what that would entail causing her to shiver almost violently. Struggling to get hold of herself, she shoved the thought of Peter from her mind. "It's just...been on my mind recently," she offered lamely. Both Rocket and Natasha eyed her with a disbelieving raised eyebrow.

"Well, Gamora, Barnes seems to think you and I would get along well. Similar backgrounds, I guess. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think I'm seeing in you something I was going through a year ago. For all I know the situation's totally different, but if we're anything alike, the only advice I can give you is...don't hold back. If you do, you'll just end up regretting it."

Gamora didn't respond to this, but she did think on it as Rocket and Natasha started discussing explosives. She didn't imagine their situations could possibly be comparable at all, but the words...the advice...that might mean something. If Peter really loved her...and she him...why should she keep her curse a secret? No matter how deep this shame was...maybe he could help her fight it?

_Peter...I-_

"Lunch!" Jane shouted before her thoughts could sink any deeper into the idea. The next thing she knew, Sinthea was pushing a plate into her hands...a plate containing no kind of food she recognized.

"What...what is it?" she finally got herself to ask.

"It's a hamburger. We don't have any cheese, unfortunately, but it's got any other topping you could possibly want. You're okay with meat, yes?" the scientist asked her.

"Yes," she answered, still eyeing the offering with a little uncertainty. She could see that Rocket had already savaged his own hamburger pretty well, but she certainly wasn't going to just place the plate on the ground and eat the meal with no hands. There were no utensils, though, so it was probably safe to say it was all right to eat the food with just her hands. "How do I-"

"Eat it?" Sinthea finished. "Right. Sorry. It's easy enough. Just take it in both hands so nothing falls off and bite down," she explained, quickly demonstrating with her own hamburger. Once she'd chewed and swallowed, she offered her an encouraging smile. "Go on, give it a try. We won't be offended if you don't like it."

Gamora eyed the hamburger warily for several more minutes. While she would admit it smelled appetizing, she also didn't have any clue what she was actually putting in her mouth and that was more than a little unsettling. Ultimately, though, she shook off her nerves and bit into the food...and almost immediately began to groan in pleasure.

She was used to simpler foods. Thanos had not encouraged any sort of decadence or gluttonous behavior among his children, but ever since she'd joined up with the Guardians, they'd been introducing her to more complex, flavorful offerings than she ever remembered having in all her life. This, though – this hamburger – it was in a class all by itself. There were so many new and wonderful flavors, she just couldn't get her head around them all. She just had to have more, _more_ of it...and sadly, it wasn't long at all before she was licking her fingers, practically _lusting_ after the taste.

"Oh, no. You didn't like that at all," Sinthea said with a chuckle as she eyed the small grease spot where the hamburger had once sat. "Want another one?"

"Could...could I?" the zehoberi asked hesitantly. The taste was so wonderful, it was the first thing to successfully take her mind off of Peter Quill in days.

"Sure. There's plenty to go around."

Four hamburgers later, Rocket was grinning at her, trying not to laugh. "Well, I'm impressed. Usually you eat like one protein chip and you're done. Maybe Quill was right. Maybe there _is_ somethin' to this whole Earth thing."

"Maybe," she said sardonically. She would have loved to go on eating, but she wasn't sure how much more her stomach could handle. More than that, the taste was already starting to fade, bringing to mind some of the involuntary sounds she'd made while eating...and that was already starting to push her thoughts back to a place she didn't want to go.

"You all right?" she faintly heard Rocket asking her. Clearly he'd seen the shift in her bearing.

"I'll be fine," she answered. By this point, it was only half a lie. "I think...I might go rest for a bit...until the others get back. Do you think maybe you could tell Quill to come talk to me when he gets back?" she asked.

"Sure," he said, eyeing her for only a moment longer before starting to head back to where Groot was still sitting. Gamora felt a small smile make its way across her face as she headed back toward the _Milano._ It might be the first real rest she'd had in weeks. Maybe...there really _was_ a way to get through this.

XxX

After lunch had finished up, Rocket and the children came back to sit with Groot. Rocket seemed a little anxious about Eve climbing all over him, but he didn't mind. He was already feeling much better and it made him happy to see the way the little girl smiled at the vines he still had coming off him.

Belle enjoyed sitting next to him and he knew this was because his thought processes were much too complex to harm her fragile mind. He was both amazed and unnerved that human science had managed it, but the barrier that kept her mind separate from other beings had been stripped away. It shouldn't have been possible in a species as young as humans and the people who had done this had done so without even realizing it. Her mind was exposed, open like a bleeding wound, and there was nothing that could be done to heal it. Once stripped, that barrier was gone. All she could possibly hope to do was learn to keep her focus inward. Humans weren't ready for a state of being such as this and he could already see that this girl would have a difficult life because of it.

_But you are strong, little one. I can see you have the strength to make it through._

Belle looked surprised when his mind actually reached out to touch hers.

_I – I can understand you like this._

_Just so. There's no language to get in the way when the communication is mind to mind._

_No one else has been able to do this except Mimir._

_You aren't likely to find many others who can,_ he explained, receiving an image from her mind of an old man who wasn't quite human. _This was common for my own kind. The barriers between our minds were very thin._

 _But they're all gone now,_ she returned, feeling the pain that he allowed through.

_Yes, but I'm not alone. I found a family...just like you did._

_Is there...something wrong in your family? Gamora...there's...something awful happening inside of her,_ Belle tried to explain. Groot couldn't completely make sense of what he was receiving from her mind, but that was probably because she hadn't been able to make sense of it herself, what with all the other horrific things constantly bombarding her mind. In the brief time he'd been coherent, he could tell that something was off with his female companion.

_I'm not sure. I think we'll probably all talk when Peter returns._

_And you can't...look at her thoughts?_

_Isn't it a bit impolite to do that when she can't do the same?_ he asked her, offering up a smile and looping a vine around her shoulder. _I speak with you this way now because you are able to respond in kind. Something you should carry with you to your future days. Don't fear this ability because it's unnatural. I imagine humanity will reach such a point in their evolution...some day. Simply think of your fellows as...untrained...young. Treat them as such. One must not expose children to more than they can reasonably bear. You must be gentle with them. Focus more on yourself if you wish to master your own mind._

This seemed to satisfy Belle, for she shifted more of her attention back to the child in her arms: Balder, a child who wasn't completely human himself. In fact, the little one seemed similar to Peter in his structure. Groot continued to smile as he shifted a vine down to stroke the baby's plump cheek.

"Muh, muh, muh," Balder babbled, turning his head just a little so as to gum the vine. Just out of the corner of his vision, Groot noticed Rocket rolling his eyes, but there was also a tiny smile on the raccoon's face.

 _Did the Flora Colossi have babies?_ she asked as she rocked Balder.

 _Not...quite the same way humans do. Our reproductive cycle wasn't exactly sexual...not the way humans would understand it, anyway. Every race has young, though. There were gardens filled with saplings on my world...and when grown, the most ancient of them could become even as big as these sequoia trees of yours,_ he explained, looking to the giant trees in the distance. He could feel Belle's amazement without having to look at her.

_And you had trees that big just walking around?_

_Not walking, no. If a Flora Colossus lives long enough, they become stationary. They put roots down in the soil and help give back to the planet that gave them life. Trees are much the same no matter where you go in the galaxy. These old ones cannot speak anymore, but I have no doubt they once could. The impression of their joy and sorrow is still in this soil,_ he told her, extending his own roots a little further into the ground, just to hear the song of this old forest.

_And...will that happen to you someday?_

_If I live long enough. I have lived for hundreds of years and could conceivably live many hundreds more...but it would be lonely...to live as the last of my people. When Rocket dies...I believe I will cease to exist in this plane._

Groot felt a rush of sadness from Belle at this. He smiled and shook his head.

 _You shouldn't grieve, little one. That's as it should be. He and I are bound together. He is my love...my bond mate. Though I doubt he would use such poetic terms...it is more than what your people think of as marriage. Bond mates should not be made to endure the pain of separation. As in life...so in death. That is the way of the Flora Colossi,_ he explained, glancing fondly at Rocket. When Rocket noticed him staring, he raised a questioning eyebrow, but before Groot could respond one way or the other, Belle asked him another question.

 _And if..._ _**you** _ _were to die first?_

_I would not expect him to give up his life. He is not Flora Colossi. I would not rest peacefully until we were together again, but what life he has is his right. My right is to choose the moment of my dying._

Belle offered up a weak smile at this. _Well...let's hope you won't have to worry about that for many years yet._

 _Indeed...many years,_ he returned gently, looking to Rocket once more. Unable to discern the look in his eyes, the raccoon quickly scampered over to him, scurrying up to the shoulder opposite where Belle was sitting. Then he curled himself up against his bark as close as he could, nuzzling just so at a certain notch in his neck. Groot returned the touch with a tender caress of vines.

"I am Groot."

"Yeah, yeah, shut up, you big palooka."

XxX

Peter wasn't sure what he'd been expecting when Tony had invited him to come into town with the rest of the guys. Belle hadn't been wrong in what she'd seen. He'd almost been afraid to come back to Earth. He'd been away since...since Mom died...and sometimes he'd wondered if the memories from before she was sick...of their perfect little life...just the two of them...he wondered if any of that could possibly be real. After hard weeks of being broken in by the Ravagers, it didn't seem like his life on Earth _could_ have been real...but then he would look into his backpack, at all the tiny treasures he still had...at the walkman with the awesome mix...and he would know it wasn't just a dream. Mom was real. His life with her was real.

He wasn't completely sure _why_ he was afraid. Maybe he just didn't want anything to spoil the memory of the time before the Ravagers...or maybe he was afraid of learning that it _was_ a dream. That fear had been somewhat lessened when he'd tasted pizza again after nearly thirty years, but there had still been a tiny kernel of it riding in his gut when the RV had moved out of the national park and toward human civilization. It started to lessen, though, when Clint and Bucky led him into a grocery store and he realized that the more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

The duo stocked them up on every conceivable type of junk food and junk drink. Peter didn't even wait to get out of the store before popping open a bottle of root beer. Steve and Tony met up with them with McDonalds and after a thorough day of hanging around town and soaking up all the salty, sugary, greasy, super processed foods the one-time Earthling could manage, the group headed to a joint called Heaven Dragon to get Chinese takeout for everyone.

"Just toss the bags in the oven," Tony called to Clint as he initiated the RV's auto-drive function. "Should keep everything warm 'til we get where we're going. In the meantime, we can break out the booze," he said, moving to the refrigerator and pulling out a six pack.

"Drinking and driving, Stark?" Clint chastised with a smirk.

"I'm hurt that you think I would break the law, Katniss. Obviously it doesn't count if JARVIS is the one doing the driving."

"Obviously," Steve said with a sigh.

"I assume you've never had a normal Earth drink," Tony said as he passed Peter a can of beer.

"Can't say as I have. Being eight when you're snatched by aliens'll do that to you," Peter informed as he took a sip. There was the familiar burn of alcohol, but it wasn't anywhere near as strong as what he was used to. "And I'm sad to say, it just doesn't compare. This is pretty weak sauce, man. I gotta get you to try Tarisian ale sometime. There are horror stories involving tentacles and public indecency."

"Oh, this is only the beginning, grasshopper. Beer is level one. We'll see how you're doing after a few of those," Clint said, swiping a can for himself.

Several rounds later, Clint and Tony were definitely starting to feel it, while Peter was only just starting to get a buzz. Bucky and Steve hadn't joined in, on account of neither of them were able to get drunk and it seemed to Steve that one of them should at least pretend to watch the road.

"I'd say it's time to break out the bourbon," Tony announced, going to pull out a bottle and three glasses. "I dunno where you learned, Peter, but you're good at this game. We gotta get you up against Thunderstruck sometime."

"Thunderstruck?" Peter asked, raising an eyebrow as Tony passed him a glass.

"Thor," Steve explained. "He's...not from around here either. He just might give you a run for your money."

"Lookin' forward to it," Peter said before knocking the glass back. A little bit more of a burn this time and definitely a better flavor.

"So, Quill, been a good stroll down memory lane?" Clint asked as he knocked back his own drink. Peter thought about it a solid minute before answering.

"Yeah, it...it really has. I dunno what I was worried about. It was real awesome of you guys to let me tag along, it's just...I dunno. I've had a lot of other things on my mind," he said. It had been great...getting a chance to get to know his home world again like this...but he just couldn't keep his thoughts from the place he knew they shouldn't be.

"Lady Green?" Tony asked. "Can't blame you on that one. Where exactly do you stand?"

"Sorta...told her I love her," he admitted as Tony poured them another round. Both he and Clint winced.

"And do you?" Steve was the one to finally ask.

"Course I do!" Peter shot back. "I just about _died_ for her. I guess...she doesn't believe I'm capable of anything deeper than a physical connection. I don't blame her. I've been with a lot of women. I mean a _lot._ But Gam...she's not like anyone else. She sees what a jackass I am and...well...she hasn't run screaming for the hills yet...but we haven't really talked about...what I said," he explained. He'd stopped counting how many times Tony had poured him a new glass.

"Why not?" Bucky asked him.

"I was kinda about to die when I said it. Maybe she thinks I didn't mean it; she's got a rough history of her own. Maybe...maybe I don't _wanna_ know what she really thinks," he mumbled, turning his empty glass onto its side and starting to roll it across the table. "All I can do these days is think about her...even when I shouldn't be," he said, his thoughts going in directions they definitely shouldn't be with the help of the alcohol in his blood.

"Well...the only advice any of us are gonna give you is talk to her. How do you think any of us got where we are?" Clint said, gesturing to the three other men. "You're not gonna know unless you give it a shot."

"Maybe," he said, continuing to stare at the glass as he rolled it around.

"Hey, completely off topic here, but I have a question," Tony said, raising his hand slightly. "Your two pals, the raccoon and the tree, they're an item, yes?"

"Yeah."

"Well...do they...I mean, how do they...get their freak on?"

"Tony!" Steve shouted indignantly.

"That would be the first thing you ask," Bucky said with a roll of his eyes.

"Hey, everyone's thinking it. I'm just saying it," Tony said, raising his hands in the air and scooting back from the table.

"Y'know what, Stark, I've never asked. I don't know, I don't _want_ to know, and I'd say I sleep better at night for it," Peter said as he leaned back in his chair.

"That is the biggest load of bull I've ever heard. You _so_ wanna know how they do it."

"Really thought we'd dropped the subject, Tony," Steve said pointedly.

"Come on!"

"And I think we've officially had enough to drink for the evening," Bucky intervened, moving to take away the near empty bottle and the glasses. "Sinthea may well bash your heads in for being intoxicated around the kids. You've got exactly twenty minutes to detox before we hit the campsite."

"Intoxicated's a strong word, Frosty. I'm gonna go with mildly tipsy at this point."

"Cheers," Peter agreed, stamping his foot against the floor. He could definitely feel the buzz in his brain, but he was nowhere near the blindest drunk he'd ever been.

By the time the RV pulled into the campsite, the first few drops of rain were starting to plink down onto the windshield. The three women hurried inside with all the kids, along with Rocket and Drax.

"No campfire tonight," Jane said, shaking her head to clear away the few clinging raindrops and making sure her son was still dry. "It's a good thing you guys made it back when you did. That sky's looking pretty ugly."

"What about Groot? Is he gonna be all right?" Peter asked Rocket.

"He's fine. He loves soakin' up that shit. I'd stay out there wit' 'im, but all that damn rain ain't good for my fur, y'know," he explained, carefully shaking off the little rain water that had managed to attach itself.

"What about Gamora?"

"She headed back to the _Milano_ a few hours ago. Said somethin' about restin'. I think she wanted to talk to yous 'bout somethin', though. Might wanna get over there now before it _really_ starts comin' down," Rocket advised.

"Right," Peter said, immediately heading for the door. If Gamora was actually willing to talk to him, he should definitely seize the opportunity.

"Hold up!" Bucky called to him when he was halfway out the door. The former mercenary moved to the oven and pulled out one of the bags, bringing it to him. "Better take dinner over with you."

"Right. Good idea," he said, taking the bag and tucking it under his coat before rushing out into the rain. He made his way to his ship as fast as he could, shaking himself off when he made it inside. When he was sure the food had come through all right, he moved further into the _Milano_.

"Gamora? Gam, are you here?"

XxX

Gamora had _said_ she was going to rest, but unfortunately it hadn't worked out quite that way. When she'd lain down in her bunk, she'd fallen asleep easily enough, but her dreams were not restful. She'd been left with an image of Peter pinning her against a wall and fucking her... _hard._

" _Peter...Peter..._ _ **Peter!**_ _"_

She'd awoken with a tiny cry as she came and the lust that had been revived in the dream hadn't been slaked even a little bit by her orgasm.

In an unsuccessful attempt to shake it off, she'd moved up into the cockpit, hoping she might see the RV when it returned. There had to be something. She _needed_ to end this.

Sadly, her body wouldn't be controlled. It _demanded_ touch with a violence she'd never experienced before. So once again, she slid her hand between her legs and worked herself to completion...and found that her need was even greater than when she'd started. Getting herself off wasn't helping...but it was the only thing she could do. So, half crying and half moaning, she'd crawled back to the ladder that led down into Peter's little room, collapsing onto his bunk and burying her face in the pillows, breathing in the scent of him as she rubbed harshly at her dripping sex. She rocked furiously against her hand all the while, only just managing to keep herself from breaking down completely.

_Oh, stars...oh, Peter...to have fallen so far...I would be mortified for you to see me like this._

And then, just as she was reaching her third climax, she heard him call out her name. Muffling her cry against a pillow, she quickly wiped her hand off on a sheet. She wasn't completely certain she'd gotten her pants completely closed as she threw herself up the ladder. Peter _couldn't_ find her down there. Struggling for some semblance of calm, she settled herself in the pilot's chair.

"Yes," she called out to him. "I'm up here."

"Hey," she heard his voice from behind her when he finally came to her. "I brought you some dumplings. Rocket said you wanted to talk to me about something," he said as he moved forward to set something on the console. She immediately turned her gaze away. This was dangerous. She hadn't realized just how close she was to self destruct. All it would take was one wrong move.

"Yes. There is...something very serious we must discuss."

"All right, but if you don't mind, I'm gonna-"

Gamora didn't hear what else Peter said, for that was the moment the ground caved in from beneath her. Peter turned, and in that moment, his hand accidentally brushed against her wrist. It was the contact of no more than a few molecules, but that was all the catalyst that was needed. Gamora instantly felt herself go up in flames.

She could see Peter speaking, but she couldn't hear what he was saying. All she could hear was Thanos' voice in her head.

_Give yourself over to him._

" _NO!_ " she screamed, clutching her head in anguish. " _NOO!_ "

"Gamora!" he cried out in panic, reaching for her shoulders without thinking. "Gam, what's wrong? Just tell me what's wrong!"

The moment he had his hands on her, all coherent thought left her. It was replaced by her father's single, overwhelming imperative.

_Mate...or die._

Leaping to her feet, she shoved Peter back against the console. Then she set in motion the sequence that would seal the _Milano_ shut. She was determined that _nothing_ would stop this from happening.

"Gamora?" Peter tried again, whispering this time. He couldn't deny the flicker of fear he felt as she moved to stand over him. When he looked into her eyes, he didn't recognize what he saw in them. _She_ wasn't there anymore.

Seizing his collar, she leaned down and pressed her lips harshly against his. Then she reached for his hand and drew it between her legs. He could already feel how wet she was. For a moment, he was too shocked to do anything.

"Gam!" he shouted, pulling himself away from her and stumbling away from the console. "What the hell are you doing?"

She didn't say anything. She just stalked slowly toward him. Again, he was too shocked to do anything when she reached forward and snapped open his belt. When she undid his pants and started to push them down, he grabbed at her wrists, fighting to stop her, even though he could already feel his traitorous body growing hard.

"Gamora, stop. This isn't you. This isn't what you want!"

"It is. I want this. I _need_ it," she hissed in a voice that was utterly unlike her own. Using his shock and fear against him, she shoved him up against the wall, forcing another kiss on him. It was a struggle for him not to put his hands on her hips...not to hold her close to him. He wanted this, too...but not like this.

"Gam...stop... _please!_ " he begged her, even though he couldn't help groaning as she ground her body against his. Oh, God...oh, _God!_

"Why?" she demanded harshly as she shoved his jacket off his shoulders. "You want it, too. I can _feel_ it," she hissed, her body moving sinuously against his growing erection.

"Not like this...not like this," he hissed back, not meeting her gaze. It was frightening to him...to look into her eyes. It wasn't _her._ "I _know_ you don't want this either, Gam. What's _wrong_ with you? Why is this happening?"

"This was always going to happen," she said before slamming his head back against the wall. The blow left him dazed and helpless, easily allowing her to slip his shirt over his head. She removed her own top before pressing herself back up against him, trembling at the feel of her tender breasts against his bare chest. Pressing her lips against his neck, she reached a hand into his pants, stroking him with an eager hand.

"Ungh...Gam..." he groaned quietly, hands slowly reaching up to glide along her back. He _wanted_ to stop this from happening, but the combination of the pain, the alcohol in his system, and the pheromones that had unknowingly been wearing down his resistance all week simply wasn't going to allow that. The next time she kissed him, he weakly kissed back. For a moment, he tangled his fingers in her hair, breathing in her scent as she pulled him toward the ladder...down into his bunk.

XxX

Groot knew something was happening to his two friends. He could feel that something was wrong, but he still couldn't move. He was still rooted to the earth.

 _Rocket,_ he called out to his mate through their bond. _Something's wrong._

XxX

Rocket heard the Flora Colossus' desperate plea in his head, and at the same time he saw Belle look up from her fried rice, staring out into the pouring rain in horror.

"Something's wrong," she whispered.

XxX

Peter was vaguely aware of Gamora sealing the hatch shut, locking them both in the tiny room. It wasn't long before she was on him again, her pants having been removed at some point. The only barrier between them now was his own pants...which she was starting to make quick work of.

"Gam...no..." he whispered, grasping feebly at her wrists in a vain effort to stop her. Like her, he needed this too much. He had no prayer of resisting, but he hadn't woken to that horrifying fact just yet.

"Peter...Peter..." she said softly, her voice almost sounding like her own again. With a slightly gentler grip, she guided his hand to her sex, pressing his fingers inside of her and allowing him to feel the moist heat of her. In these fumbling explorations, an errant thumb brushed against her clit and she came with a strangled cry, head falling back in ecstasy.

When Peter saw the look of bliss on her face, he knew he was lost. He couldn't fight this anymore. When she bent over him to finally remove his pants, he did nothing to stop her.

When he was finally exposed to her, hard and full and aching, she thrust herself down on him with a cry of pain. Even though she wasn't a virgin, she hadn't been with anyone since her rape and the violent penetration stretched her unused muscles to the breaking point.

Her pain briefly awakened Peter from his daze, but there was nothing he could do to stop this from happening. Gamora continued to move above him, up and down, a constant wave of motion that forced him in and out of her body over and over again.

"No...stop..." he pleaded one more time, groaning as he tried to reach for her, but she seized his wrists in her hands and pinned them to the bunk, riding him until she felt his body go stiff beneath her.

Peter came with a pained, passionate cry, feeling himself drained as he filled her...and Gamora could feel the heat of his essence as it filled her womb...impregnating her...and finally freeing her from her burning curse.

Exhausted from the struggle and the effort, the pair collapsed into each other's arms, both of them dead asleep within moments.

XxX

"The access code's been changed," Rocket snarled as he pounded at the entry hatch. His voice barely carried over the pounding rain. Unfortunately, even with all that noise, he didn't have any trouble hearing what Belle said next.

Her face was unutterably sad as she reached out a hand to place it against the hatch. For a moment, she just stood there trembling, but then her hand clenched itself into a small fist.

"We're...too late."

XxX

The first thing Gamora became aware of upon coming to was an intense pain between her legs. It had been long since she'd felt that pain and she didn't want to think about what must have caused it, but when she opened her eyes and saw the state she was in, there was no denying what had happened.

The bedding on Peter's bunk had been kicked around and left in a tangled mess...and he lay beside her, naked and spent.

" _No,_ " she whispered in shock, reaching out a trembling hand to touch his cheek.

_Gods above, please...don't let this be real._

Peter flinched in his sleep, crying out quietly, "Gam...no... _please_..."

Gamora quickly pulled her hand back, as if the words had burned her.

"Please... _no_..." she whispered, feeling tears burn at her eyes.

She couldn't remember. She couldn't remember _anything._ The last thing she remembered was hearing him call her name. How could this just happen without her knowledge? Worse still...how could she hurt Peter like this?

_What have I done? What have I done to you?_

Fighting against the pain in her body, she pulled herself up from the bunk...up the ladder...back into the cockpit. She clutched desperately at her arms as she collapsed into the pilot's chair, clutched until they bled...and still she knew this pain was not enough to pay for what she had done to Peter. It would _never_ be enough. She had done the unthinkable.

She was free now...but Thanos had won. She could feel the change deep in her body. She was carrying Peter's children...and she had destroyed something between them – destroyed _him_ – in that process.

Drawing her knees up to her chest, she could do nothing except bury her face in them and sob.


End file.
